Device, method, and graphical user interface for resizing objects

ABSTRACT

A method for resizing a currently selected user interface object includes simultaneously displaying on a touch-sensitive display the currently selected user interface object having a center, and a plurality of resizing handles for the currently selected user interface object. The method also includes detecting a first contact on a first resizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles, and detecting movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive display. The method further includes, in response to detecting movement of the first contact, when a second contact is detected on the touch-sensitive display while detecting movement of the first contact, resizing the currently selected user interface object about the center of the currently selected user interface object.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/298,513, filed Jan. 26, 2010, entitled “Device, Method, andGraphical User Interface for Resizing Objects,” which is incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

This application is also related to U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/790,504, filed May 28, 2010, entitled “Device, Method, and GraphicalUser Interface for Resizing Objects,” which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This relates generally to electronic devices with touch-sensitivesurfaces, including but not limited to electronic devices withtouch-sensitive surfaces that manipulate the sizes of user interfaceobjects.

BACKGROUND

The use of touch-sensitive surfaces as input devices for computers andother electronic computing devices has increased significantly in recentyears. Exemplary touch-sensitive surfaces include touch pads and touchscreen displays. Such surfaces are widely used to manipulate userinterface objects on a display.

Exemplary manipulations include adjusting the size (i.e., resizing) ofone or more user interface objects. Exemplary user interface objectsinclude digital images, video, text, icons, and other graphics. A usermay need to perform such manipulations on user interface objects in adrawing application, a presentation application (e.g., Keynote fromApple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), a word processing application (e.g.,Pages from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), a website creationapplication (e.g., iWeb from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.), or aspreadsheet application (e.g., Numbers from Apple Inc. of Cupertino,Calif.).

But existing methods for resizing objects are cumbersome andinefficient. For example, existing keyboard-based methods requirememorizing particular keys sequences for performing different resizingoperations, which creates a significant cognitive burden on a user. Inaddition, existing keyboard-based methods take longer than necessary,thereby wasting energy. This latter consideration is particularlyimportant in battery-operated devices.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, there is a need for computing devices with faster, moreefficient methods and interfaces for resizing user interface objectsthat do not require the use of a keyboard. Such methods and interfacesmay complement or replace conventional methods for resizing userinterface objects. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitiveburden on a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface.For battery-operated computing devices, such methods and interfacesconserve power and increase the time between battery charges.

The above deficiencies and other problems associated with userinterfaces for computing devices with touch-sensitive surfaces arereduced or eliminated by the disclosed devices. In some embodiments, thedevice is a desktop computer. In some embodiments, the device isportable (e.g., a notebook computer, tablet computer, or handhelddevice). In some embodiments, the device has a touchpad. In someembodiments, the device has a touch-sensitive display (also known as a“touch screen” or “touch screen display”). In some embodiments, thedevice has a graphical user interface (GUI), one or more processors,memory and one or more modules, programs or sets of instructions storedin the memory for performing multiple functions. In some embodiments,the user interacts with the GUI primarily through finger contacts andgestures on the touch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, thefunctions may include image editing, drawing, presenting, wordprocessing, website creating, disk authoring, spreadsheet making, gameplaying, telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging,workout support, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing,digital music playing, and/or digital video playing. Executableinstructions for performing these functions may be included in acomputer readable storage medium or other computer program productconfigured for execution by one or more processors.

In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at acomputing device with a touch-sensitive display. The method includessimultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display: a currentlyselected user interface object having a center; and a plurality ofresizing handles for the currently selected user interface object. Themethod also includes: detecting a first contact on a first resizinghandle in the plurality of resizing handles; and detecting movement ofthe first contact across the touch-sensitive display. The method furtherincludes, in response to detecting movement of the first contact: when asecond contact is not detected on the touch-sensitive display whiledetecting movement of the first contact, resizing the currently selecteduser interface object by moving the first resizing handle in accordancewith the movement of the first contact; and, when a second contact isdetected on the touch-sensitive display while detecting movement of thefirst contact, resizing the currently selected user interface objectabout the center of the currently selected user interface object.

In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at acomputing device with a touch-sensitive display. The method includessimultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display: a plurality ofuser interface objects, wherein at least some of the user interfaceobjects are configured to be resizable; a currently selected userinterface object in the plurality of user interface objects; and aplurality of resizing handles for the currently selected user interfaceobject. The method also includes: detecting a first contact on a firstresizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles; and, whiledetecting the first contact on the first resizing handle, detecting asecond contact on a second user interface object, distinct from thecurrently selected user interface object, in the plurality of userinterface objects. The method further includes, in response to detectingthe second contact on the second user interface object, resizing thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object.

In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at acomputing device with a touch-sensitive display. The method includessimultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display: a plurality ofuser interface objects, wherein at least some of the user interfaceobjects are configured to be resizable; a currently selected userinterface object in the plurality of user interface objects; and aplurality of resizing handles for the currently selected user interfaceobject. The method also includes detecting a first contact on a firstresizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles. The method furtherincludes, while detecting the first contact: detecting a second contacton a second user interface object, distinct from the currently selecteduser interface object, in the plurality of user interface objects;detecting movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay; displaying one or more indicia for the currently selected userinterface object that show when a height and/or width of the currentlyselected user interface object matches a height and/or width of thesecond user interface object; and resizing the currently selected userinterface object in accordance with the movement of the first contactacross the touch-sensitive display.

In accordance with some embodiments, a method is performed at acomputing device with a touch-sensitive display. The method includessimultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display: a plurality ofuser interface objects, wherein at least some of the user interfaceobjects are configured to be resizable; a currently selected userinterface object in the plurality of user interface objects, thecurrently selected user interface object having a center; and aplurality of resizing handles for the currently selected user interfaceobject. The method also includes detecting a first contact on a firstresizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles. The method furtherincludes, when a second contact is not detected on the touch-sensitivedisplay while detecting movement of the first contact across thetouch-sensitive display, resizing the currently selected user interfaceobject by moving the first resizing handle in accordance with themovement of the first contact. The method further includes, when thesecond contact is detected on the touch-sensitive display: when thesecond contact is detected on a second user interface object, distinctfrom the currently selected user interface object, in the plurality ofuser interface objects, resizing the currently selected user interfaceobject to match one or more dimensions of the second user interfaceobject; and, when the second contact is not detected on another userinterface object, distinct from the currently selected user interfaceobject, in the plurality of user interface objects, while detectingmovement of the first contact, resizing the currently selected userinterface object about the center of the currently selected userinterface object.

In accordance with some embodiments, a computing device includes atouch-sensitive display, one or more processors, memory, and one or moreprograms; the one or more programs are stored in the memory andconfigured to be executed by the one or more processors and the one ormore programs include instructions for performing the operations of anyof the methods described above. In accordance with some embodiments, agraphical user interface on a computing device with a touch-sensitivedisplay, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or moreprograms stored in the memory includes one or more of the elementsdisplayed in any of the methods described above, which are updated inresponse to inputs, as described in any of the methods above. Inaccordance with some embodiments, a computer readable storage medium hasstored therein instructions which when executed by a computing devicewith a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to perform theoperations of any of the methods described above. In accordance withsome embodiments, a computing device includes: a touch-sensitivedisplay; and means for performing the operations of any of the methodsdescribed above. In accordance with some embodiments, an informationprocessing apparatus, for use in a computing device with atouch-sensitive display, includes means for performing the operations ofany of the methods described above.

Thus, computing devices with touch-sensitive displays are provided withfaster, more efficient methods and interfaces for resizing userinterface objects, thereby increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, anduser satisfaction with such devices. Such methods and interfaces maycomplement or replace conventional methods for resizing user interfaceobjects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the aforementioned embodiments of theinvention as well as additional embodiments thereof, reference should bemade to the Description of Embodiments below, in conjunction with thefollowing drawings in which like reference numerals refer tocorresponding parts throughout the figures.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams illustrating portable multifunctiondevices with touch-sensitive displays in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components for eventhandling in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device having a touch screenin accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction device with adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with someembodiments.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a menu ofapplications on a portable multifunction device in accordance with someembodiments.

FIG. 4C illustrates an exemplary user interface for a multifunctiondevice with a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the displayin accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 5A-5GG illustrate exemplary user interfaces for resizing objectsin accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of performing side/cornerresizing or center resizing in accordance with some embodiments.

FIGS. 7A-7B are flow diagrams illustrating a method of performing sizematching of user interface objects in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7C illustrates an exemplary method of determining whether to matcha height or width of a first object to the height or width of a secondobject.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of performing guided sizematching in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of performing side/cornerresizing, center-resizing, or size matching in accordance with someembodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of whichare illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following detaileddescription, numerous specific details are set forth in order to providea thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will beapparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present inventionmay be practiced without these specific details. In other instances,well-known methods, procedures, components, circuits, and networks havenot been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspectsof the embodiments.

It will also be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc.may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements shouldnot be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguishone element from another. For example, a first contact could be termed asecond contact, and, similarly, a second contact could be termed a firstcontact, without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thefirst contact and the second contact are both contacts, but they are notthe same contact.

The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is forthe purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is notintended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description ofthe invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and“the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless thecontext clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that theterm “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and allpossible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Itwill be further understood that the terms “includes,” “including,”“comprises,” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification,specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

As used herein, the term “if” may be construed to mean “when” or “upon”or “in response to determining” or “in response to detecting,” dependingon the context. Similarly, the phrase “if it is determined” or “if [astated condition or event] is detected” may be construed to mean “upondetermining” or “in response to determining” or “upon detecting [thestated condition or event]” or “in response to detecting [the statedcondition or event],” depending on the context.

As used herein, the term “resolution” of a display refers to the numberof pixels (also called “pixel counts” or “pixel resolution”) along eachaxis or in each dimension of the display. For example, a display mayhave a resolution of 320×480 pixels. Furthermore, as used herein, theterm “resolution” of a multifunction device refers to the resolution ofa display in the multifunction device. The term “resolution” does notimply any limitations on the size of each pixel or the spacing ofpixels. For example, compared to a first display with a 1024×768-pixelresolution, a second display with a 320×480-pixel resolution has a lowerresolution. However, it should be noted that the physical size of adisplay depends not only on the pixel resolution, but also on many otherfactors, including the pixel size and the spacing of pixels. Therefore,the first display may have the same, smaller, or larger physical size,compared to the second display.

As used herein, the term “video resolution” of a display refers to thedensity of pixels along each axis or in each dimension of the display.The video resolution is often measured in a dots-per-inch (DPI) unit,which counts the number of pixels that can be placed in a line withinthe span of one inch along a respective dimension of the display.

Embodiments of computing devices, user interfaces for such devices, andassociated processes for using such devices are described. In someembodiments, the computing device is a portable communications device,such as a mobile telephone, that also contains other functions, such asPDA and/or music player functions. Exemplary embodiments of portablemultifunction devices include, without limitation, the iPhone® and iPodTouch® devices from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif. Other portabledevices, such as laptops or tablet computers with touch-sensitivesurfaces (e.g., touch screen displays and/or touch pads), may also beused. It should also be understood that, in some embodiments, the deviceis not a portable communications device, but is a desktop computer witha touch-sensitive surface (e.g., a touch screen display and/or a touchpad).

In the discussion that follows, a computing device that includes adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface is described. It should beunderstood, however, that the computing device may include one or moreother physical user-interface devices, such as a physical keyboard, amouse and/or a joystick.

The device supports a variety of applications, such as one or more ofthe following: a drawing application, a presentation application, a wordprocessing application, a website creation application, a disk authoringapplication, a spreadsheet application, a gaming application, atelephone application, a video conferencing application, an e-mailapplication, an instant messaging application, a workout supportapplication, a photo management application, a digital cameraapplication, a digital video camera application, a web browsingapplication, a digital music player application, and/or a digital videoplayer application.

The various applications that may be executed on the device may use atleast one common physical user-interface device, such as thetouch-sensitive surface. One or more functions of the touch-sensitivesurface as well as corresponding information displayed on the device maybe adjusted and/or varied from one application to the next and/or withina respective application. In this way, a common physical architecture(such as the touch-sensitive surface) of the device may support thevariety of applications with user interfaces that are intuitive andtransparent to the user.

The user interfaces may include one or more soft keyboard embodiments.The soft keyboard embodiments may include standard (QWERTY) and/ornon-standard configurations of symbols on the displayed icons of thekeyboard, such as those described in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos.11/459,606, “Keyboards For Portable Electronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24,2006, and 11/459,615, “Touch Screen Keyboards For Portable ElectronicDevices,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference in their entireties. The keyboard embodimentsmay include a reduced number of icons (or soft keys) relative to thenumber of keys in existing physical keyboards, such as that for atypewriter. This may make it easier for users to select one or moreicons in the keyboard, and thus, one or more corresponding symbols. Thekeyboard embodiments may be adaptive. For example, displayed icons maybe modified in accordance with user actions, such as selecting one ormore icons and/or one or more corresponding symbols. One or moreapplications on the device may utilize common and/or different keyboardembodiments. Thus, the keyboard embodiment used may be tailored to atleast some of the applications. In some embodiments, one or morekeyboard embodiments may be tailored to a respective user. For example,one or more keyboard embodiments may be tailored to a respective userbased on a word usage history (lexicography, slang, individual usage) ofthe respective user. Some of the keyboard embodiments may be adjusted toreduce a probability of a user error when selecting one or more icons,and thus one or more symbols, when using the soft keyboard embodiments.

Attention is now directed toward embodiments of portable devices withtouch-sensitive displays. FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagramsillustrating portable multifunction devices 100 with touch-sensitivedisplays 112 in accordance with some embodiments. Touch-sensitivedisplay 112 is sometimes called a “touch screen” for convenience, andmay also be known as or called a touch-sensitive display system. Device100 may include memory 102 (which may include one or more computerreadable storage mediums), memory controller 122, one or more processingunits (CPU's) 120, peripherals interface 118, RF circuitry 108, audiocircuitry 110, speaker 111, microphone 113, input/output (I/O) subsystem106, other input or control devices 116, and external port 124. Device100 may include one or more optical sensors 164. These components maycommunicate over one or more communication buses or signal lines 103.

It should be appreciated that device 100 is only one example of aportable multifunction device, and that device 100 may have more orfewer components than shown, may combine two or more components, or mayhave a different configuration or arrangement of the components. Thevarious components shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B may be implemented inhardware, software, or a combination of both hardware and software,including one or more signal processing and/or application specificintegrated circuits.

Memory 102 may include high-speed random access memory and may alsoinclude non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storagedevices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memorydevices. Access to memory 102 by other components of device 100, such asCPU 120 and the peripherals interface 118, may be controlled by memorycontroller 122.

Peripherals interface 118 can be used to couple input and outputperipherals of the device to CPU 120 and memory 102. The one or moreprocessors 120 run or execute various software programs and/or sets ofinstructions stored in memory 102 to perform various functions fordevice 100 and to process data.

In some embodiments, peripherals interface 118, CPU 120, and memorycontroller 122 may be implemented on a single chip, such as chip 104. Insome other embodiments, they may be implemented on separate chips.

RF (radio frequency) circuitry 108 receives and sends RF signals, alsocalled electromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108 converts electricalsignals to/from electromagnetic signals and communicates withcommunications networks and other communications devices via theelectromagnetic signals. RF circuitry 108 may include well-knowncircuitry for performing these functions, including but not limited toan antenna system, an RF transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner,one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a CODEC chipset, asubscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory, and so forth. RFcircuitry 108 may communicate with networks, such as the Internet, alsoreferred to as the World Wide Web (WWW), an intranet and/or a wirelessnetwork, such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local areanetwork (LAN) and/or a metropolitan area network (MAN), and otherdevices by wireless communication. The wireless communication may useany of a plurality of communications standards, protocols andtechnologies, including but not limited to Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), high-speeddownlink packet access (HSDPA), wideband code division multiple access(W-CDMA), code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multipleaccess (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) (e.g., IEEE 802.11a,IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g and/or IEEE 802.11n), voice over InternetProtocol (VoIP), Wi-MAX, a protocol for e-mail (e.g., Internet messageaccess protocol (IMAP) and/or post office protocol (POP)), instantmessaging (e.g., extensible messaging and presence protocol (XMPP),Session Initiation Protocol for Instant Messaging and PresenceLeveraging Extensions (SIMPLE), Instant Messaging and Presence Service(IMPS)), and/or Short Message Service (SMS), or any other suitablecommunication protocol, including communication protocols not yetdeveloped as of the filing date of this document.

Audio circuitry 110, speaker 111, and microphone 113 provide an audiointerface between a user and device 100. Audio circuitry 110 receivesaudio data from peripherals interface 118, converts the audio data to anelectrical signal, and transmits the electrical signal to speaker 111.Speaker 111 converts the electrical signal to human-audible sound waves.Audio circuitry 110 also receives electrical signals converted bymicrophone 113 from sound waves. Audio circuitry 110 converts theelectrical signal to audio data and transmits the audio data toperipherals interface 118 for processing. Audio data may be retrievedfrom and/or transmitted to memory 102 and/or RF circuitry 108 byperipherals interface 118. In some embodiments, audio circuitry 110 alsoincludes a headset jack (e.g., 212, FIG. 2). The headset jack providesan interface between audio circuitry 110 and removable audioinput/output peripherals, such as output-only headphones or a headsetwith both output (e.g., a headphone for one or both ears) and input(e.g., a microphone).

I/O subsystem 106 couples input/output peripherals on device 100, suchas touch screen 112 and other input control devices 116, to peripheralsinterface 118. I/O subsystem 106 may include display controller 156 andone or more input controllers 160 for other input or control devices.The one or more input controllers 160 receive/send electrical signalsfrom/to other input or control devices 116. The other input controldevices 116 may include physical buttons (e.g., push buttons, rockerbuttons, etc.), dials, slider switches, joysticks, click wheels, and soforth. In some alternate embodiments, input controller(s) 160 may becoupled to any (or none) of the following: a keyboard, infrared port,USB port, and a pointer device such as a mouse. The one or more buttons(e.g., 208, FIG. 2) may include an up/down button for volume control ofspeaker 111 and/or microphone 113. The one or more buttons may include apush button (e.g., 206, FIG. 2). A quick press of the push button maydisengage a lock of touch screen 112 or begin a process that usesgestures on the touch screen to unlock the device, as described in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 11/322,549, “Unlocking a Device byPerforming Gestures on an Unlock Image,” filed Dec. 23, 2005, which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. A longer press of thepush button (e.g., 206) may turn power to device 100 on or off. The usermay be able to customize a functionality of one or more of the buttons.Touch screen 112 is used to implement virtual or soft buttons and one ormore soft keyboards.

Touch-sensitive display 112 provides an input interface and an outputinterface between the device and a user. Display controller 156 receivesand/or sends electrical signals from/to touch screen 112. Touch screen112 displays visual output to the user. The visual output may includegraphics, text, icons, video, and any combination thereof (collectivelytermed “graphics”). In some embodiments, some or all of the visualoutput may correspond to user-interface objects.

Touch screen 112 has a touch-sensitive surface, sensor or set of sensorsthat accepts input from the user based on haptic and/or tactile contact.Touch screen 112 and display controller 156 (along with any associatedmodules and/or sets of instructions in memory 102) detect contact (andany movement or breaking of the contact) on touch screen 112 andconverts the detected contact into interaction with user-interfaceobjects (e.g., one or more soft keys, icons, web pages or images) thatare displayed on touch screen 112. In an exemplary embodiment, a pointof contact between touch screen 112 and the user corresponds to a fingerof the user.

Touch screen 112 may use LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, LPD(light emitting polymer display) technology, or LED (light emittingdiode) technology, although other display technologies may be used inother embodiments. Touch screen 112 and display controller 156 maydetect contact and any movement or breaking thereof using any of aplurality of touch sensing technologies now known or later developed,including but not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, andsurface acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensorarrays or other elements for determining one or more points of contactwith touch screen 112. In an exemplary embodiment, projected mutualcapacitance sensing technology is used, such as that found in theiPhone® and iPod Touch® from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch screen 112 may beanalogous to the multi-touch sensitive touchpads described in thefollowing U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,323,846 (Westerman et al.), 6,570,557(Westerman et al.), and/or 6,677,932 (Westerman), and/or U.S. PatentPublication 2002/0015024A1, each of which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety. However, touch screen 112 displays visualoutput from portable device 100, whereas touch sensitive touchpads donot provide visual output.

A touch-sensitive display in some embodiments of touch screen 112 may beas described in the following applications: (1) U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/381,313, “Multipoint Touch Surface Controller,” filed May 2,2006; (2) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/840,862, “MultipointTouchscreen,” filed May 6, 2004; (3) U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/903,964, “Gestures For Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jul. 30,2004; (4) U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/048,264, “Gestures ForTouch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 31, 2005; (5) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/038,590, “Mode-Based Graphical User InterfacesFor Touch Sensitive Input Devices,” filed Jan. 18, 2005; (6) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/228,758, “Virtual Input Device Placement On ATouch Screen User Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (7) U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 11/228,700, “Operation Of A Computer With A TouchScreen Interface,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; (8) U.S. patent application Ser.No. 11/228,737, “Activating Virtual Keys Of A Touch-Screen VirtualKeyboard,” filed Sep. 16, 2005; and (9) U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/367,749, “Multi-Functional Hand-Held Device,” filed Mar. 3, 2006. Allof these applications are incorporated by reference herein in theirentirety.

Touch screen 112 may have a video resolution in excess of 100 dpi. Insome embodiments, the touch screen has a video resolution ofapproximately 160 dpi. The user may make contact with touch screen 112using any suitable object or appendage, such as a stylus, a finger, andso forth. In some embodiments, the user interface is designed to workprimarily with finger-based contacts and gestures, which can be lessprecise than stylus-based input due to the larger area of contact of afinger on the touch screen. In some embodiments, the device translatesthe rough finger-based input into a precise pointer/cursor position orcommand for performing the actions desired by the user.

In some embodiments, in addition to the touch screen, device 100 mayinclude a touchpad (not shown) for activating or deactivating particularfunctions. In some embodiments, the touchpad is a touch-sensitive areaof the device that, unlike the touch screen, does not display visualoutput. The touchpad may be a touch-sensitive surface that is separatefrom touch screen 112 or an extension of the touch-sensitive surfaceformed by the touch screen.

In some embodiments, device 100 may include a physical or virtual wheel(e.g., a click wheel) as input control device 116. A user may navigateamong and interact with one or more graphical objects (e.g., icons)displayed in touch screen 112 by rotating the click wheel or by moving apoint of contact with the click wheel (e.g., where the amount ofmovement of the point of contact is measured by its angular displacementwith respect to a center point of the click wheel). The click wheel mayalso be used to select one or more of the displayed icons. For example,the user may press down on at least a portion of the click wheel or anassociated button. User commands and navigation commands provided by theuser via the click wheel may be processed by input controller 160 aswell as one or more of the modules and/or sets of instructions in memory102. For a virtual click wheel, the click wheel and click wheelcontroller may be part of touch screen 112 and display controller 156,respectively. For a virtual click wheel, the click wheel may be eitheran opaque or semitransparent object that appears and disappears on thetouch screen display in response to user interaction with the device. Insome embodiments, a virtual click wheel is displayed on the touch screenof a portable multifunction device and operated by user contact with thetouch screen.

Device 100 also includes power system 162 for powering the variouscomponents. Power system 162 may include a power management system, oneor more power sources (e.g., battery, alternating current (AC)), arecharging system, a power failure detection circuit, a power converteror inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode(LED)) and any other components associated with the generation,management and distribution of power in portable devices.

Device 100 may also include one or more optical sensors 164. FIGS. 1Aand 1B show an optical sensor coupled to optical sensor controller 158in I/O subsystem 106. Optical sensor 164 may include charge-coupleddevice (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)phototransistors. Optical sensor 164 receives light from theenvironment, projected through one or more lens, and converts the lightto data representing an image. In conjunction with imaging module 143(also called a camera module), optical sensor 164 may capture stillimages or video. In some embodiments, an optical sensor is located onthe back of device 100, opposite touch screen display 112 on the frontof the device, so that the touch screen display may be used as aviewfinder for still and/or video image acquisition. In someembodiments, an optical sensor is located on the front of the device sothat the user's image may be obtained for videoconferencing while theuser views the other video conference participants on the touch screendisplay. In some embodiments, the position of optical sensor 164 can bechanged by the user (e.g., by rotating the lens and the sensor in thedevice housing) so that a single optical sensor 164 may be used alongwith the touch screen display for both video conferencing and stilland/or video image acquisition.

Device 100 may also include one or more proximity sensors 166. FIGS. 1Aand 1B show proximity sensor 166 coupled to peripherals interface 118.Alternately, proximity sensor 166 may be coupled to input controller 160in I/O subsystem 106. Proximity sensor 166 may perform as described inU.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/241,839, “Proximity Detector InHandheld Device”; 11/240,788, “Proximity Detector In Handheld Device”;11/620,702, “Using Ambient Light Sensor To Augment Proximity SensorOutput”; 11/586,862, “Automated Response To And Sensing Of User ActivityIn Portable Devices”; and 11/638,251, “Methods And Systems For AutomaticConfiguration Of Peripherals,” which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entirety. In some embodiments, the proximity sensorturns off and disables touch screen 112 when the multifunction device isplaced near the user's ear (e.g., when the user is making a phone call).

Device 100 may also include one or more accelerometers 168. FIGS. 1A and1B show accelerometer 168 coupled to peripherals interface 118.Alternately, accelerometer 168 may be coupled to an input controller 160in I/O subsystem 106. Accelerometer 168 may perform as described in U.S.Patent Publication No. 20050190059, “Acceleration-based Theft DetectionSystem for Portable Electronic Devices,” and U.S. Patent Publication No.20060017692, “Methods And Apparatuses For Operating A Portable DeviceBased On An Accelerometer,” both of which are which are incorporated byreference herein in their entirety. In some embodiments, information isdisplayed on the touch screen display in a portrait view or a landscapeview based on an analysis of data received from the one or moreaccelerometers. Device 100 optionally includes, in addition toaccelerometer(s) 168, a magnetometer (not shown) and a GPS (or GLONASSor other global navigation system) receiver (not shown) for obtaininginformation concerning the location and orientation (e.g., portrait orlandscape) of device 100.

In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 102include operating system 126, communication module (or set ofinstructions) 128, contact/motion module (or set of instructions) 130,graphics module (or set of instructions) 132, text input module (or setof instructions) 134, Global Positioning System (GPS) module (or set ofinstructions) 135, and applications (or sets of instructions) 136.Furthermore, in some embodiments memory 102 stores device/globalinternal state 157, as shown in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3. Device/globalinternal state 157 includes one or more of: active application state,indicating which applications, if any, are currently active; displaystate, indicating what applications, views or other information occupyvarious regions of touch screen display 112; sensor state, includinginformation obtained from the device's various sensors and input controldevices 116; and location information concerning the device's locationand/or attitude.

Operating system 126 (e.g., Darwin, RTXC, LINUX, UNIX, OS X, WINDOWS, oran embedded operating system such as VxWorks) includes various softwarecomponents and/or drivers for controlling and managing general systemtasks (e.g., memory management, storage device control, powermanagement, etc.) and facilitates communication between various hardwareand software components.

Communication module 128 facilitates communication with other devicesover one or more external ports 124 and also includes various softwarecomponents for handling data received by RF circuitry 108 and/orexternal port 124. External port 124 (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB),FIREWIRE, etc.) is adapted for coupling directly to other devices orindirectly over a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless LAN, etc.). Insome embodiments, the external port is a multi-pin (e.g., 30-pin)connector that is the same as, or similar to and/or compatible with the30-pin connector used on iPod (trademark of Apple Inc.) devices.

Contact/motion module 130 may detect contact with touch screen 112 (inconjunction with display controller 156) and other touch sensitivedevices (e.g., a touchpad or physical click wheel). Contact/motionmodule 130 includes various software components for performing variousoperations related to detection of contact, such as determining ifcontact has occurred (e.g., detecting a finger-down event), determiningif there is movement of the contact and tracking the movement across thetouch-sensitive surface (e.g., detecting one or more finger-draggingevents), and determining if the contact has ceased (e.g., detecting afinger-up event or a break in contact). Contact/motion module 130receives contact data from the touch-sensitive surface. Determiningmovement of the point of contact, which is represented by a series ofcontact data, may include determining speed (magnitude), velocity(magnitude and direction), and/or an acceleration (a change in magnitudeand/or direction) of the point of contact. These operations may beapplied to single contacts (e.g., one finger contacts) or to multiplesimultaneous contacts (e.g., “multitouch”/multiple finger contacts). Insome embodiments, contact/motion module 130 and display controller 156detects contact on a touchpad. In some embodiments, contact/motionmodule 130 and controller 160 detects contact on a click wheel.

Contact/motion module 130 may detect a gesture input by a user.Different gestures on the touch-sensitive surface have different contactpatterns. Thus, a gesture may be detected by detecting a particularcontact pattern. For example, detecting a finger tap gesture includesdetecting a finger-down event followed by detecting a finger-up (liftoff) event at the same position (or substantially the same position) asthe finger-down event (e.g., at the position of an icon). As anotherexample, detecting a finger swipe gesture on the touch-sensitive surfaceincludes detecting a finger-down event followed by detecting one or morefinger-dragging events, and subsequently followed by detecting afinger-up (lift off) event.

Graphics module 132 includes various known software components forrendering and displaying graphics on touch screen 112 or other display,including components for changing the intensity of graphics that aredisplayed. As used herein, the term “graphics” includes any object thatcan be displayed to a user, including without limitation text, webpages, icons (such as user-interface objects including soft keys),digital images, videos, animations and the like.

In some embodiments, graphics module 132 stores data representinggraphics to be used. Each graphic may be assigned a corresponding code.Graphics module 132 receives, from applications etc., one or more codesspecifying graphics to be displayed along with, if necessary, coordinatedata and other graphic property data, and then generates screen imagedata to output to display controller 156.

Text input module 134, which may be a component of graphics module 132,provides soft keyboards for entering text in various applications (e.g.,contacts 137, e-mail 140, IM 141, browser 147, and any other applicationthat needs text input).

GPS module 135 determines the location of the device and provides thisinformation for use in various applications (e.g., to telephone 138 foruse in location-based dialing, to camera 143 as picture/video metadata,and to applications that provide location-based services such as weatherwidgets, local yellow page widgets, and map/navigation widgets).

Applications 136 may include the following modules (or sets ofinstructions), or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   contacts module 137 (sometimes called an address book or contact        list);    -   telephone module 138;    -   video conferencing module 139;    -   e-mail client module 140;    -   instant messaging (IM) module 141;    -   workout support module 142;    -   camera module 143 for still and/or video images;    -   image management module 144;    -   video player module 145;    -   music player module 146;    -   browser module 147;    -   calendar module 148;    -   widget modules 149, which may include one or more of: weather        widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget 149-3,        alarm clock widget 149-4, dictionary widget 149-5, and other        widgets obtained by the user, as well as user-created widgets        149-6;    -   widget creator module 150 for making user-created widgets 149-6;    -   search module 151;    -   video and music player module 152, which merges video player        module 145 and music player module 146;    -   notes module 153;    -   map module 154; and/or    -   online video module 155.

Examples of other applications 136 that may be stored in memory 102include other word processing applications, other image editingapplications, drawing applications, presentation applications,JAVA-enabled applications, encryption, digital rights management, voicerecognition, and voice replication.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, contactsmodule 137 may be used to manage an address book or contact list (e.g.,stored in application internal state 192 of contacts module 137 inmemory 102 or memory 370), including: adding name(s) to the addressbook; deleting name(s) from the address book; associating telephonenumber(s), e-mail address(es), physical address(es) or other informationwith a name; associating an image with a name; categorizing and sortingnames; providing telephone numbers or e-mail addresses to initiateand/or facilitate communications by telephone 138, video conference 139,e-mail 140, or IM 141; and so forth.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, contact module130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, telephone module138 may be used to enter a sequence of characters corresponding to atelephone number, access one or more telephone numbers in address book137, modify a telephone number that has been entered, dial a respectivetelephone number, conduct a conversation and disconnect or hang up whenthe conversation is completed. As noted above, the wirelesscommunication may use any of a plurality of communications standards,protocols and technologies.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111,microphone 113, touch screen 112, display controller 156, optical sensor164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130, graphics module132, text input module 134, contact list 137, and telephone module 138,videoconferencing module 139 includes executable instructions toinitiate, conduct, and terminate a video conference between a user andone or more other participants in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, e-mail client module 140 includes executable instructions tocreate, send, receive, and manage e-mail in response to userinstructions. In conjunction with image management module 144, e-mailclient module 140 makes it very easy to create and send e-mails withstill or video images taken with camera module 143.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, the instant messaging module 141 includes executableinstructions to enter a sequence of characters corresponding to aninstant message, to modify previously entered characters, to transmit arespective instant message (for example, using a Short Message Service(SMS) or Multimedia Message Service (MMS) protocol for telephony-basedinstant messages or using XMPP, SIMPLE, or IMPS for Internet-basedinstant messages), to receive instant messages and to view receivedinstant messages. In some embodiments, transmitted and/or receivedinstant messages may include graphics, photos, audio files, video filesand/or other attachments as are supported in a MMS and/or an EnhancedMessaging Service (EMS). As used herein, “instant messaging” refers toboth telephony-based messages (e.g., messages sent using SMS or MMS) andInternet-based messages (e.g., messages sent using XMPP, SIMPLE, orIMPS).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, displaycontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, GPS module 135, map module 154, and music player module 146,workout support module 142 includes executable instructions to createworkouts (e.g., with time, distance, and/or calorie burning goals);communicate with workout sensors (sports devices); receive workoutsensor data; calibrate sensors used to monitor a workout; select andplay music for a workout; and display, store and transmit workout data.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, opticalsensor(s) 164, optical sensor controller 158, contact module 130,graphics module 132, and image management module 144, camera module 143includes executable instructions to capture still images or video(including a video stream) and store them into memory 102, modifycharacteristics of a still image or video, or delete a still image orvideo from memory 102.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, text input module 134, and cameramodule 143, image management module 144 includes executable instructionsto arrange, modify (e.g., edit), or otherwise manipulate, label, delete,present (e.g., in a digital slide show or album), and store still and/orvideo images.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, and speaker 111,video player module 145 includes executable instructions to display,present or otherwise play back videos (e.g., on touch screen 112 or onan external, connected display via external port 124).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker111, RF circuitry 108, and browser module 147, music player module 146includes executable instructions that allow the user to download andplay back recorded music and other sound files stored in one or morefile formats, such as MP3 or AAC files. In some embodiments, device 100may include the functionality of an MP3 player, such as an iPod(trademark of Apple Inc.).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text inputmodule 134, browser module 147 includes executable instructions tobrowse the Internet in accordance with user instructions, includingsearching, linking to, receiving, and displaying web pages or portionsthereof, as well as attachments and other files linked to web pages.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, e-mail client module 140, and browser module 147, calendarmodule 148 includes executable instructions to create, display, modify,and store calendars and data associated with calendars (e.g., calendarentries, to do lists, etc.) in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, widget modules 149 aremini-applications that may be downloaded and used by a user (e.g.,weather widget 149-1, stocks widget 149-2, calculator widget 149-3,alarm clock widget 149-4, and dictionary widget 149-5) or created by theuser (e.g., user-created widget 149-6). In some embodiments, a widgetincludes an HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) file, a CSS (CascadingStyle Sheets) file, and a JavaScript file. In some embodiments, a widgetincludes an XML (Extensible Markup Language) file and a JavaScript file(e.g., Yahoo! Widgets).

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, and browser module 147, the widget creator module 150 may beused by a user to create widgets (e.g., turning a user-specified portionof a web page into a widget).

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134,search module 151 includes executable instructions to search for text,music, sound, image, video, and/or other files in memory 102 that matchone or more search criteria (e.g., one or more user-specified searchterms) in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display controller 156, contactmodule 130, graphics module 132, and text input module 134, notes module153 includes executable instructions to create and manage notes, to dolists, and the like in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with RF circuitry 108, touch screen 112, display systemcontroller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, text inputmodule 134, GPS module 135, and browser module 147, map module 154 maybe used to receive, display, modify, and store maps and data associatedwith maps (e.g., driving directions; data on stores and other points ofinterest at or near a particular location; and other location-baseddata) in accordance with user instructions.

In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156,contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker111, RF circuitry 108, text input module 134, e-mail client module 140,and browser module 147, online video module 155 includes instructionsthat allow the user to access, browse, receive (e.g., by streamingand/or download), play back (e.g., on the touch screen or on anexternal, connected display via external port 124), send an e-mail witha link to a particular online video, and otherwise manage online videosin one or more file formats, such as H.264. In some embodiments, instantmessaging module 141, rather than e-mail client module 140, is used tosend a link to a particular online video. Additional description of theonline video application can be found in U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 60/936,562, “Portable Multifunction Device, Method, andGraphical User Interface for Playing Online Videos,” filed Jun. 20,2007, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/968,067, “PortableMultifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for PlayingOnline Videos,” filed Dec. 31, 2007, the content of which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

Each of the above identified modules and applications correspond to aset of executable instructions for performing one or more functionsdescribed above and the methods described in this application (e.g., thecomputer-implemented methods and other information processing methodsdescribed herein). These modules (i.e., sets of instructions) need notbe implemented as separate software programs, procedures or modules, andthus various subsets of these modules may be combined or otherwisere-arranged in various embodiments. For example, video player module 145may be combined with music player module 146 into a single module (e.g.,video and music player module 152, FIG. 1B). In some embodiments, memory102 may store a subset of the modules and data structures identifiedabove. Furthermore, memory 102 may store additional modules and datastructures not described above.

In some embodiments, device 100 is a device where operation of apredefined set of functions on the device is performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen and/or a touchpad. By using a touch screen and/ora touchpad as the primary input control device for operation of device100, the number of physical input control devices (such as push buttons,dials, and the like) on device 100 may be reduced.

The predefined set of functions that may be performed exclusivelythrough a touch screen and/or a touchpad include navigation between userinterfaces. In some embodiments, the touchpad, when touched by the user,navigates device 100 to a main, home, or root menu from any userinterface that may be displayed on device 100. In such embodiments, thetouchpad may be referred to as a “menu button.” In some otherembodiments, the menu button may be a physical push button or otherphysical input control device instead of a touchpad.

FIG. 1C is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components for eventhandling in accordance with some embodiments. In some embodiments,memory 102 (in FIGS. 1A and 1B) or 370 (FIG. 3) includes event sorter170 (e.g., in operating system 126) and a respective application 136-1(e.g., any of the aforementioned applications 137-151, 155, 380-390).

Event sorter 170 receives event information and determines theapplication 136-1 and application view 191 of application 136-1 to whichto deliver the event information. Event sorter 170 includes eventmonitor 171 and event dispatcher module 174. In some embodiments,application 136-1 includes application internal state 192, whichindicates the current application view(s) displayed on touch sensitivedisplay 112 when the application is active or executing. In someembodiments, device/global internal state 157 is used by event sorter170 to determine which application(s) is(are) currently active, andapplication internal state 192 is used by event sorter 170 to determineapplication views 191 to which to deliver event information.

In some embodiments, application internal state 192 includes additionalinformation, such as one or more of: resume information to be used whenapplication 136-1 resumes execution, user interface state informationthat indicates information being displayed or that is ready for displayby application 136-1, a state queue for enabling the user to go back toa prior state or view of application 136-1, and a redo/undo queue ofprevious actions taken by the user.

Event monitor 171 receives event information from peripherals interface118. Event information includes information about a sub-event (e.g., auser touch on touch-sensitive display 112, as part of a multi-touchgesture). Peripherals interface 118 transmits information it receivesfrom I/O subsystem 106 or a sensor, such as proximity sensor 166,accelerometer(s) 168, and/or microphone 113 (through audio circuitry110). Information that peripherals interface 118 receives from I/Osubsystem 106 includes information from touch-sensitive display 112 or atouch-sensitive surface.

In some embodiments, event monitor 171 sends requests to the peripheralsinterface 118 at predetermined intervals. In response, peripheralsinterface 118 transmits event information. In other embodiments,peripheral interface 118 transmits event information only when there isa significant event (e.g., receiving an input above a predeterminednoise threshold and/or for more than a predetermined duration).

In some embodiments, event sorter 170 also includes a hit viewdetermination module 172 and/or an active event recognizer determinationmodule 173.

Hit view determination module 172 provides software procedures fordetermining where a sub-event has taken place within one or more views,when touch sensitive display 112 displays more than one view. Views aremade up of controls and other elements that a user can see on thedisplay.

Another aspect of the user interface associated with an application is aset of views, sometimes herein called application views or userinterface windows, in which information is displayed and touch-basedgestures occur. The application views (of a respective application) inwhich a touch is detected may correspond to programmatic levels within aprogrammatic or view hierarchy of the application. For example, thelowest level view in which a touch is detected may be called the hitview, and the set of events that are recognized as proper inputs may bedetermined based, at least in part, on the hit view of the initial touchthat begins a touch-based gesture.

Hit view determination module 172 receives information related tosub-events of a touch-based gesture. When an application has multipleviews organized in a hierarchy, hit view determination module 172identifies a hit view as the lowest view in the hierarchy which shouldhandle the sub-event. In most circumstances, the hit view is the lowestlevel view in which an initiating sub-event occurs (i.e., the firstsub-event in the sequence of sub-events that form an event or potentialevent). Once the hit view is identified by the hit view determinationmodule, the hit view typically receives all sub-events related to thesame touch or input source for which it was identified as the hit view.

Active event recognizer determination module 173 determines which viewor views within a view hierarchy should receive a particular sequence ofsub-events. In some embodiments, active event recognizer determinationmodule 173 determines that only the hit view should receive a particularsequence of sub-events. In other embodiments, active event recognizerdetermination module 173 determines that all views that include thephysical location of a sub-event are actively involved views, andtherefore determines that all actively involved views should receive aparticular sequence of sub-events. In other embodiments, even if touchsub-events were entirely confined to the area associated with oneparticular view, views higher in the hierarchy would still remain asactively involved views.

Event dispatcher module 174 dispatches the event information to an eventrecognizer (e.g., event recognizer 180). In embodiments including activeevent recognizer determination module 173, event dispatcher module 174delivers the event information to an event recognizer determined byactive event recognizer determination module 173. In some embodiments,event dispatcher module 174 stores in an event queue the eventinformation, which is retrieved by a respective event receiver module182.

In some embodiments, operating system 126 includes event sorter 170.Alternatively, application 136-1 includes event sorter 170. In yet otherembodiments, event sorter 170 is a stand-alone module, or a part ofanother module stored in memory 102, such as contact/motion module 130.

In some embodiments, application 136-1 includes a plurality of eventhandlers 190 and one or more application views 191, each of whichincludes instructions for handling touch events that occur within arespective view of the application's user interface. Each applicationview 191 of the application 136-1 includes one or more event recognizers180. Typically, a respective application view 191 includes a pluralityof event recognizers 180. In other embodiments, one or more of eventrecognizers 180 are part of a separate module, such as a user interfacekit (not shown) or a higher level object from which application 136-1inherits methods and other properties. In some embodiments, a respectiveevent handler 190 includes one or more of: data updater 176, objectupdater 177, GUI updater 178, and/or event data 179 received from eventsorter 170. Event handler 190 may utilize or call data updater 176,object updater 177 or GUI updater 178 to update the application internalstate 192. Alternatively, one or more of the application views 191includes one or more respective event handlers 190. Also, in someembodiments, one or more of data updater 176, object updater 177, andGUI updater 178 are included in a respective application view 191.

A respective event recognizer 180 receives event information (e.g.,event data 179) from event sorter 170, and identifies an event from theevent information. Event recognizer 180 includes event receiver 182 andevent comparator 184. In some embodiments, event recognizer 180 alsoincludes at least a subset of: metadata 183, and event deliveryinstructions 188 (which may include sub-event delivery instructions).

Event receiver 182 receives event information from event sorter 170. Theevent information includes information about a sub-event, for example, atouch or a touch movement. Depending on the sub-event, the eventinformation also includes additional information, such as location ofthe sub-event. When the sub-event concerns motion of a touch the eventinformation may also include speed and direction of the sub-event. Insome embodiments, events include rotation of the device from oneorientation to another (e.g., from a portrait orientation to a landscapeorientation, or vice versa), and the event information includescorresponding information about the current orientation (also calleddevice attitude) of the device.

Event comparator 184 compares the event information to predefined eventor sub-event definitions and, based on the comparison, determines anevent or sub-event, or determines or updates the state of an event orsub-event. In some embodiments, event comparator 184 includes eventdefinitions 186. Event definitions 186 contain definitions of events(e.g., predefined sequences of sub-events), for example, event 1(187-1), event 2 (187-2), and others. In some embodiments, sub-events inan event 187 include, for example, touch begin, touch end, touchmovement, touch cancellation, and multiple touching. In one example, thedefinition for event 1 (187-1) is a double tap on a displayed object.The double tap, for example, comprises a first touch (touch begin) onthe displayed object for a predetermined phase, a first lift-off (touchend) for a predetermined phase, a second touch (touch begin) on thedisplayed object for a predetermined phase, and a second lift-off (touchend) for a predetermined phase. In another example, the definition forevent 2 (187-2) is a dragging on a displayed object. The dragging, forexample, comprises a touch (or contact) on the displayed object for apredetermined phase, a movement of the touch across touch-sensitivedisplay 112, and lift-off of the touch (touch end). In some embodiments,the event also includes information for one or more associated eventhandlers 190.

In some embodiments, event definition 187 includes a definition of anevent for a respective user-interface object. In some embodiments, eventcomparator 184 performs a hit test to determine which user-interfaceobject is associated with a sub-event. For example, in an applicationview in which three user-interface objects are displayed ontouch-sensitive display 112, when a touch is detected on touch-sensitivedisplay 112, event comparator 184 performs a hit test to determine whichof the three user-interface objects is associated with the touch(sub-event). If each displayed object is associated with a respectiveevent handler 190, the event comparator uses the result of the hit testto determine which event handler 190 should be activated. For example,event comparator 184 selects an event handler associated with thesub-event and the object triggering the hit test.

In some embodiments, the definition for a respective event 187 alsoincludes delayed actions that delay delivery of the event informationuntil after it has been determined whether the sequence of sub-eventsdoes or does not correspond to the event recognizer's event type.

When a respective event recognizer 180 determines that the series ofsub-events do not match any of the events in event definitions 186, therespective event recognizer 180 enters an event impossible, eventfailed, or event ended state, after which it disregards subsequentsub-events of the touch-based gesture. In this situation, other eventrecognizers, if any, that remain active for the hit view continue totrack and process sub-events of an ongoing touch-based gesture.

In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180 includes metadata183 with configurable properties, flags, and/or lists that indicate howthe event delivery system should perform sub-event delivery to activelyinvolved event recognizers. In some embodiments, metadata 183 includesconfigurable properties, flags, and/or lists that indicate how eventrecognizers may interact with one another. In some embodiments, metadata183 includes configurable properties, flags, and/or lists that indicatewhether sub-events are delivered to varying levels in the view orprogrammatic hierarchy.

In some embodiments, a respective event recognizer 180 activates eventhandler 190 associated with an event when one or more particularsub-events of an event are recognized. In some embodiments, a respectiveevent recognizer 180 delivers event information associated with theevent to event handler 190. Activating an event handler 190 is distinctfrom sending (and deferred sending) sub-events to a respective hit view.In some embodiments, event recognizer 180 throws a flag associated withthe recognized event, and event handler 190 associated with the flagcatches the flag and performs a predefined process.

In some embodiments, event delivery instructions 188 include sub-eventdelivery instructions that deliver event information about a sub-eventwithout activating an event handler. Instead, the sub-event deliveryinstructions deliver event information to event handlers associated withthe series of sub-events or to actively involved views. Event handlersassociated with the series of sub-events or with actively involved viewsreceive the event information and perform a predetermined process.

In some embodiments, data updater 176 creates and updates data used inapplication 136-1. For example, data updater 176 updates the telephonenumber used in contacts module 137, or stores a video file used in videoplayer module 145. In some embodiments, object updater 177 creates andupdates objects used in application 136-1. For example, object updater176 creates a new user-interface object or updates the position of auser-interface object. GUI updater 178 updates the GUI. For example, GUIupdater 178 prepares display information and sends it to graphics module132 for display on a touch-sensitive display.

In some embodiments, event handler(s) 190 includes or has access to dataupdater 176, object updater 177, and GUI updater 178. In someembodiments, data updater 176, object updater 177, and GUI updater 178are included in a single module of a respective application 136-1 orapplication view 191. In other embodiments, they are included in two ormore software modules.

It shall be understood that the foregoing discussion regarding eventhandling of user touches on touch-sensitive displays also applies toother forms of user inputs to operate multifunction devices 100 withinput-devices, not all of which are initiated on touch screens, e.g.,coordinating mouse movement and mouse button presses with or withoutsingle or multiple keyboard presses or holds, user movements taps,drags, scrolls, etc., on touch-pads, pen stylus inputs, movement of thedevice, oral instructions, detected eye movements, biometric inputs,and/or any combination thereof, which may be utilized as inputscorresponding to sub-events which define an event to be recognized.

FIG. 2 illustrates a portable multifunction device 100 having a touchscreen 112 in accordance with some embodiments. The touch screen maydisplay one or more graphics within user interface (UI) 200. In thisembodiment, as well as others described below, a user may select one ormore of the graphics by making contact or touching the graphics, forexample, with one or more fingers 202 (not drawn to scale in the figure)or one or more styluses 203 (not drawn to scale in the figure). In someembodiments, selection of one or more graphics occurs when the userbreaks contact with the one or more graphics. In some embodiments, thecontact may include a gesture, such as one or more taps, one or moreswipes (from left to right, right to left, upward and/or downward)and/or a rolling of a finger (from right to left, left to right, upwardand/or downward) that has made contact with device 100. In someembodiments, inadvertent contact with a graphic may not select thegraphic. For example, a swipe gesture that sweeps over an applicationicon may not select the corresponding application when the gesturecorresponding to selection is a tap.

Device 100 may also include one or more physical buttons, such as “home”or menu button 204. As described previously, menu button 204 may be usedto navigate to any application 136 in a set of applications that may beexecuted on device 100. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the menubutton is implemented as a soft key in a GUI displayed on touch screen112.

In one embodiment, device 100 includes touch screen 112, menu button204, push button 206 for powering the device on/off and locking thedevice, volume adjustment button(s) 208, Subscriber Identity Module(SIM) card slot 210, head set jack 212, and docking/charging externalport 124. Push button 206 may be used to turn the power on/off on thedevice by depressing the button and holding the button in the depressedstate for a predefined time interval; to lock the device by depressingthe button and releasing the button before the predefined time intervalhas elapsed; and/or to unlock the device or initiate an unlock process.In an alternative embodiment, device 100 also may accept verbal inputfor activation or deactivation of some functions through microphone 113.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction device with adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with someembodiments. Device 300 need not be portable. In some embodiments,device 300 is a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a tablet computer,a multimedia player device, a navigation device, an educational device(such as a child's learning toy), a gaming system, or a control device(e.g., a home or industrial controller). Device 300 typically includesone or more processing units (CPU's) 310, one or more network or othercommunications interfaces 360, memory 370, and one or more communicationbuses 320 for interconnecting these components. Communication buses 320may include circuitry (sometimes called a chipset) that interconnectsand controls communications between system components. Device 300includes input/output (I/O) interface 330 comprising display 340, whichis typically a touch screen display. I/O interface 330 also may includea keyboard and/or mouse (or other pointing device) 350 and touchpad 355.Memory 370 includes high-speed random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM,DDR RAM or other random access solid state memory devices; and mayinclude non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storagedevices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or othernon-volatile solid state storage devices. Memory 370 may optionallyinclude one or more storage devices remotely located from CPU(s) 310. Insome embodiments, memory 370 stores programs, modules, and datastructures analogous to the programs, modules, and data structuresstored in memory 102 of portable multifunction device 100 (FIG. 1), or asubset thereof. Furthermore, memory 370 may store additional programs,modules, and data structures not present in memory 102 of portablemultifunction device 100. For example, memory 370 of device 300 maystore drawing module 380, presentation module 382, word processingmodule 384, website creation module 386, disk authoring module 388,and/or spreadsheet module 390, while memory 102 of portablemultifunction device 100 (FIG. 1) may not store these modules.

Each of the above identified elements in FIG. 3 may be stored in one ormore of the previously mentioned memory devices. Each of the aboveidentified modules corresponds to a set of instructions for performing afunction described above. The above identified modules or programs(i.e., sets of instructions) need not be implemented as separatesoftware programs, procedures or modules, and thus various subsets ofthese modules may be combined or otherwise re-arranged in variousembodiments. In some embodiments, memory 370 may store a subset of themodules and data structures identified above. Furthermore, memory 370may store additional modules and data structures not described above.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces (“UI”)that may be implemented on portable multifunction device 100.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate exemplary user interfaces for a menu ofapplications on portable multifunction device 100 in accordance withsome embodiments. Similar user interfaces may be implemented on device300. In some embodiments, user interface 400A includes the followingelements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   Signal strength indicator(s) 402 for wireless communication(s),        such as cellular and Wi-Fi signals;    -   Time 404;    -   Bluetooth indicator 405;    -   Battery status indicator 406;    -   Tray 408 with icons for frequently used applications, such as:        -   Phone 138, which may include an indicator 414 of the number            of missed calls or voicemail messages;        -   E-mail client 140, which may include an indicator 410 of the            number of unread e-mails;        -   Browser 147; and        -   Music player 146; and    -   Icons for other applications, such as:        -   IM 141;        -   Image management 144;        -   Camera 143;        -   Video player 145;        -   Weather 149-1;        -   Stocks 149-2;        -   Workout support 142;        -   Calendar 148;        -   Calculator 149-3;        -   Alarm clock 149-4;        -   Dictionary 149-5; and        -   User-created widget 149-6.

In some embodiments, user interface 400B includes the followingelements, or a subset or superset thereof:

-   -   402, 404, 405, 406, 141, 148, 144, 143, 149-3, 149-2, 149-1,        149-4, 410, 414, 138, 140, and 147, as described above;    -   Map 154;    -   Notes 153;    -   Settings 412, which provides access to settings for device 100        and its various applications 136, as described further below;    -   Video and music player module 152, also referred to as iPod        (trademark of Apple Inc.) module 152; and    -   Online video module 155, also referred to as YouTube (trademark        of Google Inc.) module 155.

FIG. 4C illustrates an exemplary user interface on a device (e.g.,device 300, FIG. 3) with a touch-sensitive surface 451 (e.g., a tabletor touchpad 355, FIG. 3) that is separate from the display 450 (e.g.,touch screen display 112). Although many of the examples which followwill be given with reference to inputs on touch screen display 112(where the touch sensitive surface and the display are combined), insome embodiments, the device detects inputs on a touch-sensitive surfacethat is separate from the display, as shown in FIG. 4C. In someembodiments the touch sensitive surface (e.g., 451 in FIG. 4C) has aprimary axis (e.g., 452 in FIG. 4C) that corresponds to a primary axis(e.g., 453 in FIG. 4C) on the display (e.g., 450). In accordance withthese embodiments, the device detects contacts (e.g., 460 and 462 inFIG. 4C) with the touch-sensitive surface 451 at locations thatcorrespond to respective locations on the display (e.g., in FIG. 4C 460corresponds to 468 and 462 corresponds to 470). In this way, user inputs(e.g., contacts 460 and 462, and movements thereof) detected by thedevice on the touch-sensitive surface (e.g., 451 in FIG. 4C) are used bythe device to manipulate the user interface on the display (e.g., 450 inFIG. 4C) of the multifunction device when the touch-sensitive surface isseparate from the display. It should be understood that similar methodsmay be used for other user interfaces described herein.

Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces (“UI”)and associated processes that may be implemented on a multifunctiondevice with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, such as device 300or portable multifunction device 100.

FIGS. 5A-5GG illustrate exemplary user interfaces for resizing objectsin accordance with some embodiments. The user interfaces in thesefigures are used to illustrate the processes described below, includingthe processes in FIGS. 6, 7A-7B, 8, and 9.

Although FIGS. 5A-5GG illustrate exemplary user interfaces containinggraphical objects (e.g., shapes and images), the illustrativediscussions below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. For example, similar userinterfaces can be used to resize other objects (e.g., text boxes,tables, charts, diagrams, figures, pictures, photographs, pages,documents, etc.).

In FIGS. 5A-5GG, some finger contact movement sizes may be exaggeratedfor illustrative purposes. No depiction in the figures bearing on fingercontact movements should be taken as a requirement or limitation for thepurpose of understanding sizes and scale associated with the methods anddevices disclosed herein.

FIG. 5A-5M illustrates exemplary user interface associated with“center-resizing” of an object.

FIG. 5A depicts an exemplary user interface displaying objects 502-1 and502-9 on touch screen 112 of multifunction device 300. FIG. 5A alsoillustrates a detection of tap 505 at a location on touch screen 112corresponding to the location of object 502-1, thereby selecting object502-1.

FIG. 5B illustrates that object 502-1 is selected. In this example,selected object 502-1 is visually distinguished (e.g., the selectedobject has a thicker border than when unselected). Also bounding box504-1 is displayed around selected object 502-1. In this example,bounding box 504-1 is a rectangle that fits selected object 502-1, andthe width and height of bounding box 504-1 matches the width and heightof object 502-1. In some embodiments, a bounding box includes apredetermined margin around the object it contains. In some embodiments,the predetermined margin is a user-selected value (e.g., in pixels or inlength). Bounding box 504-1 includes a plurality of handles 506, whichwhen activated (e.g., by a finger contact) initiate the resizing of theselected object in a “side/corner resizing”. In this “side/cornerresizing” mode, the side(s)/corner of the bounding box of the currentlyselected object that include a first sizing handle (e.g., 506-5) move inconcert with the movement of the first contact, while the sides of thebounding box that do not include the first sizing handle remainstationary. For example, in FIG. 5C, the top and left sides (which donot include handle 506-5) of bounding box 504-1 remain stationary, andthe bottom-right corner and the bottom and right sides (which includehandle 506-5) of bounding box 504-1 move in concert with the movement ofcontact 507. While being resized, the object scales in accordance withthe bounding box.

In FIG. 5C, contact 507 (e.g., a finger contact) is detected at location507-A on touch screen 112 corresponding to handle 506-5. FIG. 5C alsoillustrates that callout 508-1 is displayed, indicating the width andheight of object 502-1 (e.g., the width of 110 pixels and the height of100 pixels).

FIG. 5D illustrates that contact 507 (e.g., a finger contact) has movedacross touch screen 112 to location 507-B. Object 502-1 and bounding box504-1 scale in accordance with the movement of contact 507.

In FIG. 5E, contact 509 (e.g., a finger contact) is detected at alocation on touch screen 112 corresponding to object 502-1. Also in FIG.5E, callout 508-2 indicates that object 502-1 is in a “center-resizing”mode. In this example, callout 508-2 is displayed proximate to contact509. In some embodiments, callout 508-2 is displayed above (e.g.,callout 508-2′), below, or adjacent to object 502-1. In otherembodiments, callout 508-2 is displayed on top, at the bottom, or at apredetermined location on touch screen 112 (e.g., top or bottom of touchscreen 112 or near a menu bar).

In the “center-resizing” mode, the resized object scales symmetricallywhile maintaining its center location. In some embodiments, the centerlocation of an object corresponds to the center of the bounding box. Insome embodiments, the resized object scales while maintaining horizontaland vertical symmetry, while maintaining its center location. Forhorizontal symmetry, the horizontal distance from the center of theobject to the left-most point of the object matches the horizontaldistance from the center of the object to the right-most point of theobject. Similarly, for vertical symmetry, the vertical distance from thecenter of the object to the top-most point of the object matches thevertical distance from the center of the object to the bottom-most pointof the object.

In some embodiments, instead of the three step process of detecting acontact to select an object (e.g., FIG. 5A), detecting another contactto resize the selected object (e.g., FIG. 5C), and detecting yet anothercontact to enter into the “center-resizing” mode (e.g., FIG. 5E), fewersteps can achieve the same result. For example, a first contact isdetected at a location on touch screen 112 corresponding to an object,and while detecting the first contact, a second contact is detected onone of the handles associated with the object, thereby initiating the“center-resizing” mode for the object.

FIGS. 5F-5G illustrates two exemplary user interfaces in response todetecting the lift-off of contact 509. FIG. 5F illustrates the userinterface after the completion of the “center-resizing.” The devicedetects termination (e.g., lift off) of contacts 507 and 509. Object502-1 maintains its size from the center resizing. In this example,object 502-1 is no longer selected after the completion of the centerresizing. As a result, the visual distinction (e.g., a thicker border)and bounding box 504-1 cease to be displayed (or removed). In someembodiments, lifting off of contact 509 immediately before or afterlifting off of contact 507 (e.g., within 0.01-1 seconds, preferablywithin 0.1-0.2 seconds) achieves the same result. In other embodiments,object 502-1 remains selected after detecting termination of contacts507 and 509 (not shown).

FIG. 5G illustrates a result when contact 509 is lifted off of touchscreen 112 without lifting off contact 507. The device switches from the“center-resizing” mode to the “side/corner resizing” mode and the sizeof object 502-1 changes accordingly. Callout 508-2 ceases to bedisplayed, indicating that object 502-1 is no longer in the“center-resizing” mode. Top-left corner of bounding box 504-1 returns toits original position (before the center-resizing starts, as depicted inFIGS. 5C-5D).

FIG. 5H illustrates an exemplary user interface including proportionguide 510. In FIG. 5H, contact 511 is detected at a location on touchscreen 112 corresponding to object 502-1. In some embodiments,concurrent detection of contact 511 and third contact 511′ displaysproportion guide 510. In some other embodiments, when the location ofcontact 507-B lines up with a diagonal line of original bounding box504-1 (before scaling or resizing), proportion guide 510 is displayed.While proportion guide 510 is displayed, the currently selected userinterface object (e.g., object 502-1) is resized while maintaining itsheight-to-width ratio. In some embodiments, a “snapping” effect isprovided with proportion guide 510. For example, when contact 507 isdetected adjacent to proportion guide 510 (e.g., less than twentypixels, preferably less than five pixels; alternatively, less than oneinch, preferably less than a quarter of an inch), a location onproportion guide 510 closest to the location of contact 507 is used inplace of the actual location of contact 507.

FIG. 5I illustrates that contact 507 has moved across touch screen 112to location 507-C along proportion guide 510. Object 502-1 is resized,while maintaining its height-to-width ratio. The display of proportionguide 510 is maintained. Contact 511 remains on touch screen 112 andobject 502-1 remains in the “center-resizing” mode.

In FIG. 5J, contact 507 has moved to location 507-D across touch screen112 away from proportion guide 510 (e.g., more than twenty pixels, or atleast more than five pixels; or alternatively, more than one inch, or atleast more than a quarter of an inch). In response, proportion guide 510ceases to be displayed (or is hidden).

FIG. 5K illustrates that contact 507 has moved across touch screen 112to location 507-E that is adjacent (e.g., less than twenty pixels,preferably less than five pixels; alternatively, less than one inch,preferably less than a quarter of an inch) to proportion guide 510. Inresponse, proportion guide 510 is re-displayed. As discussed above,contact 507 may snap to proportion guide 510 in some embodiments.

In FIG. 5L, contact 511 is lifted off of touch screen 112, and thedevice switches from the “center-resizing” mode to the “side/cornerresizing” mode.

FIG. 5M illustrates a contact 513 that is detected at a location ontouch screen 112 outside object 512. In some embodiments, object 502-1enters into the “center-resizing” mode in response to contact 513outside object 502-1. In some embodiments, object 502-1 enters into the“center-resizing” mode in response to contact 513 on a blank space (thatdoes not correspond to any of displayed objects) on touch screen 112.

FIGS. 5N-5W illustrate exemplary user interfaces associated with sizematching of an object.

FIG. 5N depicts an exemplary user interface displaying objects 502-2 and502-3 on touch screen 112 of multifunction device 300. Size boxes 512-1and 512-2 are illustrated solely for the purpose of describing the size(e.g., the width and height) of each object. As depicted, objects 502-2and 502-3 have different sizes (e.g., size boxes 512-1 and 512-2 havedifferent sizes). FIG. 5N also illustrates detection of tap 515 at alocation on touch screen 112 corresponding to the location of object502-3, thereby selecting object 502-3.

FIG. 5O illustrates that object 502-3 is selected. In this example,selected object 502-3 is visually distinguished (e.g., the selectedobject has a thicker border than when unselected). Also bounding box504-2 is displayed around selected object 502-3. In this example,bounding box 504-2 is a rectangle that fits selected object 502-3, andthe width and height of bounding box 504-2 matches the width and heightof object 502-3. Bounding box 504-2 includes a plurality of handles(including handle 506-9), which when activated (e.g., by a fingercontact) initiate the resizing of the selected object (e.g., in the“side/corner resizing” mode).

In FIG. 5O, contact 517 is detected at location 517-A on touch screen112 corresponding to handle 506-9. FIG. 5O also illustrates that callout508-3 is displayed, indicating the width and height of object 502-3.

FIG. 5P illustrates that contact 517 (e.g., a finger contact) has movedacross touch screen 112 to location 517-B. Object 502-3 and bounding box504-2 scale in accordance with the movement of contact 517.

In FIG. 5Q, contact 519 is detected at a location on touch screen 112corresponding to object 502-2. In response, the size of object 502-3 isscaled to match the size of object 502-2 (e.g., the size of bounding box504-2 matches the size of size box 512-1). Callout 508-4 is displayed toindicate that the device is in a “size matching” mode, where anotherobject will be matched to the size of object 502-2. In some embodiments,callout 508-4 is displayed proximate to contact 519. In otherembodiments, callout 508-4 is displayed adjacent (e.g., above or below)to object 502-2, or at a predetermined location (e.g., top or bottom oftouch screen 112 or near a menu bar).

FIG. 5R illustrates the completion of size matching. Contacts 517 and519 are lifted off of touch screen 112. Object 502-3 maintains its sizefrom the size matching. In this example, object 502-3 is no longerselected after the completion of the size matching. As a result, thevisual distinction (e.g., a thicker border) and bounding box 504-2 ceaseto be displayed (or removed). In some embodiments, lifting off ofcontact 519 immediately before or after lifting off of contact 517(e.g., within 0.01-1 seconds, preferably within 0.1-0.2 seconds)achieves the same result. In other embodiments, object 502-3 remainsselected after detecting termination of contacts 517 and 519 (notshown). In some embodiments, when contact 519 is lifted off of touchscreen 112 without lifting off contact 517, the device returns to the“side/corner resizing” mode for object 502-3 (not shown).

FIGS. 5S-5X illustrate exemplary user interfaces associated with sizematching of an object while maintaining the proportion (e.g.,height-to-width ratio, also called aspect ratio) of the object (e.g., adigital image such as a digital photograph, picture, illustration;figures; chart; diagram; etc.).

FIG. 5S depicts an exemplary user interface displaying objects 502-4 and502-5 on touch screen 112 of multifunction device 300. Object 502-5 is adigital image, and has a constrained height-to-width ratio. In FIG. 5S,contact 521 is detected at a location on touch screen 112 correspondingto image object 502-5, thereby selecting image object 502-5.

FIG. 5T illustrates that image object 502-5 is selected. In thisexample, selected object 502-5 is visually distinguished (e.g., theselected object has a thicker border than when unselected). Alsobounding box 504-3 is displayed around selected object 502-5. In thisexample, bounding box 504-3 is a rectangle that fits selected object502-5, and the width and height of bounding box 504-3 matches the widthand height of object 502-5. Bounding box 504-3 includes a plurality ofhandles 506, which when activated (e.g., by a finger contact) initiatethe resizing of the selected object (e.g., in the “side/corner resizing”mode). While being resized, the object scales in accordance with thebounding box.

In FIG. 5U, contact 523 is detected at location on touch screen 112corresponding to handle 506-10. FIG. 5U also illustrates that callout508-5 is displayed, indicating the width and height of object 502-5.

FIG. 5V illustrates a detection of contact 525 at a location on touchscreen 112 corresponding to object 502-4. Object 502-5 is scaledproportionally (i.e., while maintaining its height-to-width ratio) suchthat the width of object 502-5 matches the width of object 502-4 (thewidth of bounding box 502-5 also matches the width of object 502-4).Callout 508-6 is displayed, indicating that the device is in the “sizematching” mode, with another object (e.g., 502-5) being matched to atleast one dimension of object 502-4. In some embodiments, callout 508-6is displayed proximate to contact 525. In other embodiments, callout508-6 is displayed adjacent (e.g., above or below) to object 502-4, orat a predetermined location (e.g., top or bottom of touch screen 112 ornear a menu bar).

In some embodiments, object 502-5 is scaled proportionally such that theheight (instead of the width) of object 502-5 matches the height(instead of the width) of object 502-4 (not shown).

FIG. 5W illustrates the user interface after completion of sizematching. The device detects termination (e.g., lift off) of contacts523 and 525. Object 502-5 maintains the size (e.g., width and height)from the size matching. In this example, object 502-5 is no longerselected after the completion of the size matching. As a result, thevisual distinction (e.g., a thicker border) and bounding box 504-2 ceaseto be displayed (or removed). In some embodiments, lifting off ofcontact 523 immediately before or after lifting off of contact 525(e.g., within 0.01-1 seconds, preferably within 0.1-0.2 seconds)achieves the same result. In other embodiments, object 502-5 remainsselected after detecting termination of contacts 523 and 525 (notshown). In some embodiments, when contact 525 is lifted off of touchscreen 112 without lifting off contact 523, the device returns to the“side/corner resizing” mode for object 502-5 (FIG. 5X).

FIGS. 5Y-5GG illustrate exemplary user interfaces that includesize-matching guides.

FIG. 5Y depicts an exemplary user interface displaying objects 502-6,502-7, and 502-8. Size boxes 512-3 and 512-4 are illustrated solely forthe purpose of describing the size (e.g., width and height) of eachobject. As depicted, objects 502-6 and 502-7 have different sizes (e.g.,size boxes 512-3 and 512-4 have different sizes). FIG. 5X alsoillustrates detection of a tap 527 at a location on touch screen 112corresponding to the location of object 502-7, thereby selecting object502-7.

FIG. 5Z illustrates that object 502-7 is selected. In this example,selected object 502-7 is visually distinguished (e.g., the selectedobject has a thicker border than when unselected). Also bounding box504-4 is displayed around selected object 502-7. In this example,bounding box 504-4 is a rectangle that fits selected object 502-7, andthe width and height of bounding box 504-4 matches the width and heightof object 502-7. Bounding box 504-4 includes a plurality of handles(including handle 506-18), which when activated (e.g., by a fingercontact) initiate the resizing of the selected object (e.g., in the“side/corner resizing” mode). While being resized, the object scales inaccordance with the bounding box.

In FIG. 5AA, contact 529 is detected at location 529-A on touch screen112 corresponding to handle 506-18. FIG. 5AA also illustrates thatcallout 508-7 is displayed, indicating the width and height of object502-7.

In FIG. 5BB, contact 531 is detected at a location on touch screen 112corresponding to object 502-6. In this example, object 502-6 is visuallydistinguished (e.g., by having different shading, color, shadow, or athicker border). In some embodiments, callout 508-8 is displayed toindicate the size (e.g., width and height) of the second object (e.g.,502-6). In some embodiments, callout 508-8, alternatively oradditionally, indicates that the second object is a reference object(e.g., by displaying “reference” text). In some embodiments, callout508-8 is displayed proximate to contact 531. In other embodiments,callout 508-8 is displayed adjacent to object 502-6 (e.g., above orbelow), or at a predetermined location (e.g., top or bottom of touchscreen 112 or near a menu bar).

FIG. 5CC illustrates that contact 529 (e.g., a finger contact) has movedacross touch screen 112 to location 529-B. Object 502-7 and bounding box504-4 scale in accordance with movement of contact 529.

In FIG. 5DD, contact 529 (e.g., a finger contact) has moved across touchscreen 112 to location 529-C. As described above, object 502-7 andbounding box 504-4 scale in accordance with the movement of contact 529,and the width of object 502-7 matches the width of object 502-6. Inresponse, object 502-7 is visually distinguished (e.g., by havingdifferent shading, color, shadow, or a thicker border). In someembodiments, in addition to, or instead of, visually distinguishingobject 502-7, callout 508-7 associated with object 502-7 and/or aportion of text located within callout 508-7 are visually distinguished(e.g., by having different font color, background color, font type,underline, font size). In this example, a portion of text within callout508-7 displaying the width of object 502-7 is visually distinguished(e.g., in a bold, larger font with an underline). In some embodiments,callout 508-8 associated with second object 502-6 and/or a portion oftext located within callout 508-8 are visually distinguished in additionto, or in stead of, visually distinguishing object 502-7 and/or callout508-7.

FIG. 5EE illustrates that contact 529 (e.g., a finger contact) has movedfurther across touch screen 112 to location 529-D. As described above,object 502-7 and bounding box 504-4 scale in accordance with contact529, and object 502-7 matches the size (e.g., width and height) ofobject 502-6. In response, object 502-7 is visually distinguished (e.g.,by having different shading, color, shadow, or a thicker border; or byhaving the same shading, color, shadow, or border as second object502-6) to indicate that the size (e.g., width and height) of object502-7 match the size (e.g., width and height) of object 502-6. In someembodiments, in addition to, or instead of, visually distinguishingobject 502-7, callout 508-7 associated with object 502-7 and/or aportion of text located within callout 508-7 are visually distinguished(e.g., by having different font color, background color, font type,underline, font size). In this example, the entire portion of textwithin callout 508-7 displaying the width and height of object 502-7 isvisually distinguished (e.g., in a bold, larger font with an underline).In some embodiments, callout 508-8 associated with second object 502-6and/or a portion of text located within callout 508-8 are visuallydistinguished in addition to, or in stead of, visually distinguishingobject 502-7 and/or callout 508-7.

FIG. 5FF illustrates the user interface after completion of theresizing. The device detects termination (e.g., lift off) of contacts529 and 531. Object 502-7 maintains the size (e.g., width and height)from the resizing. In this example, object 502-7 is no longer selectedafter the completion of the resizing. As a result, the visualdistinction (e.g., a thicker border) and bounding box 504-4 cease to bedisplayed (or removed). In some embodiments, lifting off of contact 529immediately before or after lifting off of contact 531 (e.g., within0.01-1 seconds, preferably within 0.1-0.2 seconds) achieves the sameresult. In other embodiments, object 502-7 remains selected afterdetecting termination of contacts 529 and 531 (not shown). In someembodiments, when contact 531 is lifted off of touch screen 112 withoutlifting off contact 529, the device returns to the “side/cornerresizing” mode for object 502-7 (FIG. 5GG).

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating method 600 of performingside/corner resizing or center resizing in accordance with someembodiments. Method 600 is performed at a multifunction device (e.g.,device 300, FIG. 3, or portable multifunction device 100, FIG. 1) with adisplay and a touch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, the displayis a touch screen display and the touch-sensitive surface is on thedisplay. In some embodiments, the display is separate from thetouch-sensitive surface. Some operations in method 600 may be combinedand/or the order of some operations may be changed.

As described below, method 600 provides an intuitive way to performside/corner or center resizing of a user interface object without usinga keyboard. The method reduces the cognitive burden on a user whenperforming side/corner or center resizing, thereby creating a moreefficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computingdevices, enabling a user to perform side/corner or center resizingfaster and more efficiently conserves power and increases the timebetween battery charges.

The device simultaneously displays (602) on the touch-sensitive display:a currently selected user interface object (e.g., object 502-1 in FIG.5B) having a center; and a plurality of resizing handles (e.g., handles506 in FIG. 5B) for the currently selected user interface object.

The device detects (604) a first contact (e.g., contact 507 in FIG. 5C)on a first resizing handle (e.g., handle 506-5) in the plurality ofresizing handles;

The device detects (606) movement of the first contact across thetouch-sensitive display (e.g., contact 507 moves to location 507-B inFIG. 5D).

In response to detecting movement of the first contact (608), when asecond contact is not detected on the touch-sensitive display whiledetecting movement of the first contact, the device resizes (610) thecurrently selected user interface object by moving the first resizinghandle in accordance with the movement of the first contact (e.g.,object 502-1 in FIGS. 5D, 5G, and 5L). In this “side/corner resizing”mode, where just the first contact is detected, the side(s)/corner ofthe bounding box of the currently selected object that include the firstresizing handle move in concert with the movement of the first contact,while the sides of the bounding box that do not include the firstresizing handle remain stationary. For example, in FIGS. 5C-5D, thebottom and right sides of bounding box 504-1, which include handle506-5, move in concert with the movement of contact 507, while the topand left sides of bounding box 504-1, which do not include handle 506-5remain stationary.

Conversely, in response to detecting movement of the first contact, whena second contact (e.g., contact 509 in FIG. 5E) is detected on thetouch-sensitive display while detecting movement of the first contact,the device resizes (612) the currently selected user interface objectabout the center of the currently selected user interface object (e.g.,object 502-1 in FIGS. 5E, 5H-5K, and 5M).

In this “center-resizing” mode, the sides of the currently selectedobject are scaled around the center point of the object in accordancewith the movement of the first contact. For example, in FIGS. 5E and5H-5K, the sides of object 502-1 are scaled around the center point ofobject 502-1 in accordance with the movement of contact 507. In someembodiments, while still detecting the first contact, the device exitsthe center-resizing mode when detection of the second contact ceases(e.g., due to lift off of the second contact) and reverts to theside/corner resizing mode. In some embodiments, after the device detectsconcurrently the second contact and the first contact, the deviceremains in the center-resizing mode until the first contact ceases to bedetected (rather than switching back to the side/corner resizing modewhen detection of the second contact ceases).

In some embodiments, the device displays (614) a center-resizing indiciawhile the second contact is detected on the touch-sensitive display. Forexample, in FIGS. 5E, 5H-5K, and 5M, a temporary text box (e.g., acallout box) with the words “Center Resize” appears proximate to thesecond contact while the second contact is detected on thetouch-sensitive display.

In some embodiments, in response to detecting termination of the secondcontact while continuing to detect movement of the first contact acrossthe touch-sensitive display, the device resizes (616) the currentlyselected user interface object by moving the first resizing handle inaccordance with the movement of the first contact. For example, in FIG.5G, after termination of second contact 509 (FIG. 5E), object 502-1 isresized by moving handle 506-5 in accordance with the movement of thefirst contact (in the “side/corner resizing” mode).

In some embodiments, when a second contact and a third contact (e.g.,contacts 511 and 511′ in FIG. 5H) are detected on the touch-sensitivedisplay while detecting movement of the first contact, the deviceproportionally resizes the currently selected user interface objectabout the center of the currently selected object.

Note that details of the processes described above with respect tomethod 600 are also applicable in an analogous manner to the methodsdescribed below, including method 900. For brevity, these details arenot repeated below.

FIGS. 7A-7B are flow diagrams illustrating method 700 of performing sizematching of user interface objects in accordance with some embodiments.Method 700 is performed at a multifunction device (e.g., device 300,FIG. 3, or portable multifunction device 100, FIG. 1) with a display anda touch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, the display is a touchscreen display and the touch-sensitive surface is on the display. Insome embodiments, the display is separate from the touch-sensitivesurface. Some operations in method 700 may be combined and/or the orderof some operations may be changed.

As described below, method 700 provides an intuitive way to perform sizematching of user interface objects. The method reduces the cognitiveburden on a user when performing size matching, thereby creating a moreefficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computingdevices, enabling a user to perform size matching faster and moreefficiently conserves power and increases the time between batterycharges.

The device simultaneously displays (702) on the touch-sensitive display:a plurality of user interface objects (objects 502-2 and 502-3 in FIG.5O), wherein at least some of the user interface objects are configuredto be resizable; a currently selected user interface object (object502-3) in the plurality of user interface objects; and a plurality ofresizing handles (handles around object 502-3 including handle 506-9)for the currently selected user interface object.

The device detects (704) a first contact (e.g., contact 517 in FIG. 5O)on a first resizing handle (e.g., handle 506-9) in the plurality ofresizing handles.

While detecting the first contact on the first resizing handle, thedevice detects (706) a second contact on a second user interface object,distinct from the currently selected user interface object, in theplurality of user interface objects. For example, contact 519 isdetected at a location on touch screen 112 corresponding to object 502-2in FIG. 5Q. Object 502-2 is distinct from the currently selected userinterface object (e.g., object 502-3).

In some embodiments, the device displays (708) a size-matching indiciawhile the second contact is detected on the touch-sensitive display. Forexample, in FIG. 5Q, a temporary text box (e.g., a callout box) with thewords “Match Size” appears proximate to contact 519 (e.g., on or nearuser interface object 502-2) while contact 519 is detected on thetouch-sensitive display.

In response to detecting the second contact on the second user interfaceobject, the device resizes (710) the currently selected user interfaceobject to match one or more dimensions of the second user interfaceobject. In this “size matching” mode, the height and/or width of thecurrently selected user interface object is matched to the height and/orwidth of a second user interface object contacted by the user. Forexample, in FIG. 5Q, the width and height of object 502-3 is resized tomatch the width and height of object 502-2 upon which a second contact(e.g., contact 519) is detected. In FIG. 5V, only the width (and not theheight) of object 502-5 is matched to the width of the object 502-4.

In some embodiments, resizing the currently selected user interfaceobject to match one or more dimensions of the second user interfaceobject comprises (714) matching a height of the currently selected userinterface object to a height of the second user interface object (e.g.,matching the height of the currently selected object to the height ofthe second user interface object or matching the height of the boundingbox for the currently selected object to the height of the bounding boxfor the second user interface object). For example, in FIG. 5Q, theheight of object 502-3 is matched to the height of object 502-2.

In some embodiments, resizing the currently selected user interfaceobject to match one or more dimensions of the second user interfaceobject comprises (716) matching a width of the currently selected userinterface object to a width of the second user interface object (e.g.,matching the width of the currently selected object to the width of thesecond user interface object or matching the width of the bounding boxfor the currently selected object to the width of the bounding box forthe second user interface object). For example, in FIG. 5Q, the width ofobject 502-3 is matched to the width of object 502-2. Similarly, in FIG.5V, the width of object 502-5 is matched to the width of object 502-4.

In some embodiments, resizing the currently selected user interfaceobject to match one or more dimensions of the second user interfaceobject comprises (718) matching a height of the currently selected userinterface object to a height of the second user interface object andmatching a width of the currently selected user interface object to awidth of the second user interface object (e.g., matching the width andheight of the currently selected object to the width and height of thesecond user interface object or matching the width and height of thebounding box for the currently selected object to the width and heightof the bounding box for the second user interface object). For example,in FIG. 5Q, the width and height of object 502-3 is resized to match thewidth and height of object 502-2 upon which a second contact (e.g.,contact 519) is detected. In some embodiments, matching the height ofthe currently selected user interface to the height of the second userinterface object and matching the width of the currently selected userinterface object to the width of the second user interface objectincludes modifying the height-to-width ratio of the currently selecteduser interface object.

In some embodiments, matching the size of a first object (e.g., thecurrently selected user interface object) having a first height-to-widthratio to the size of a second object (e.g., the second user interfaceobject) having a second height-to-width ratio, where the firstheight-to-width ratio and the second height-to-width ratio are distinct,includes determining whether to match the width of the first object tothe width of the second object or, alternatively, to match the height ofthe first object to the height of the second object.

In some embodiments, resizing the currently selected user interfaceobject to match one or more dimensions of the second user interfaceobject comprises (720), when the currently selected user interfaceobject has a constrained height-to-width ratio (e.g., a digital image),matching a height of the currently selected user interface object to aheight of the second user interface object when a first predefinedcondition is satisfied, and matching a width of the currently selecteduser interface object to a width of the second user interface objectwhen a second predefined condition is satisfied.

In some embodiments, whether to match the width of the first object tothe width of the second object or, alternatively, to match the height ofthe first object to the height of the second object is determined inaccordance with the selection of the handle on which the first contactis detected. For example, when a contact is detected on a handle on theleft or right side of the object (e.g., handles 506-10 and 506-14 inFIG. 5T), after detecting the second contact on the second userinterface object, the device matches the width of the currently selecteduser interface object to the width of the second user interface object.In contrast, when a contact is detected on a handle on the top or bottomof the object (e.g., handles 506-16 and 506-12), after detecting thesecond contact on the second user interface object, the device matchesthe height of the currently selected user interface object to the heightof the second user interface object. In this case, the first predefinedcondition is satisfied when a first contact is detected on a top orbottom handle of the currently selected user object when the secondcontact is detected on the second user interface object, and the secondpredefined condition is satisfied when the first contact is detected ona side handle of the currently selected user object when the secondcontact is detected on the second user interface object.

Conversely, in some embodiments, when a contact is detected on a handleon the left or right side of the object, in response to detecting thesecond contact on the second user interface object, the device matchesthe height of the currently selected user interface object to the heightof the second user interface object. When the contact is detected on ahandle on the top or bottom of the object, in response to detecting thesecond contact on the second user interface object, the device matchesthe width of the currently selected user interface object to the widthof the second user interface object. In this case, the first predefinedcondition is satisfied when the first contact is detected on a sidehandle of the currently selected user object when the second contact isdetected on the second user interface object, and the second predefinedcondition is satisfied when the first contact is detected on a top orbottom handle of the currently selected user object when the secondcontact is detected on the second user interface object.

In some embodiments, whether the currently selected user interfaceobject matches the height or width of the second user interface objectis determined in accordance with the size of the currently selected userinterface object (when a second contact is detected on the second userinterface object). In description of this method (and also indescription of FIG. 7C), the following terms are used:

-   -   a first width refers to a width of the currently selected user        interface object (when a second contact is detected on the        second user interface object);    -   a second width refers to a width of the second user interface        object;    -   a first height refers to a height of the currently selected user        interface object (when a second contact is detected on the        second user interface object);    -   a second height refers to a height of the second user interface        object;    -   a width difference refers to a difference between the first        width and the second width; and    -   a height difference refers to a difference between the first        height and the second height.

In this method, the first predefined condition is satisfied when theheight difference is smaller than the width difference, and the secondpredefined condition is satisfied when the width difference is smallerthan the height difference.

FIG. 7C illustrates an exemplary method of determining whether to matcha height or width of a first object to the height or width of a secondobject. The method illustrated in FIG. 7C represents a moresophisticated method involving multiple thresholds. FIG. 7C depicts asize chart drawn in accordance with the size of the second userinterface object, where the second height is larger than the secondwidth.

In FIG. 7C, thresholds are used to provide rules for determining whetherthe currently selected user interface object matches the height or widthof the second user interface object. Thresholds are determined inaccordance with the size of the second user interface object. In thisexample, the minimum width threshold is half the second width (i.e.,0.5×w), and the maximum width is one-and-a-half times the second width((i.e., 1.5×w). Similarly, the minimum height threshold is half thesecond height (i.e., 0.5×h), and the maximum height threshold isone-and-a-half times the second height (i.e., 1.5×h).

FIG. 7C also illustrates a plurality of zones, representing the size ofthe currently selected user interface object in terms of the thresholdsand additional rules. Each zone is labeled with either a character “W”or a character “H.” In addition, the “H” zones are shaded.

When the size of the currently selected user interface object (when asecond contact is detected on the second user interface object) belongsto a “W” zone, the currently selected user interface object is resizedto match the width of the second user interface object, whilemaintaining the height-to-width ratio. When the size of the currentlyselected user interface object (when a second contact is detected on thesecond user interface object) belongs to an “H” zone, the currentlyselected user interface object is resized to match the height of thesecond user interface object, while maintaining the height-to-widthratio. In other words, the first predefined condition is satisfied whenthe size of the currently selected user interface object (when a secondcontact is detected on the second user interface object) belongs to an“H” zone, and the second predefined condition is satisfied when the sizeof the currently selected user interface object (when a second contactis detected on the second user interface object) belongs to a “W” zone.

For example, when the first width is larger than the maximum widththreshold (e.g., 1.5×w) and the first height is larger than the maximumheight threshold (e.g., 1.5×h), the size of the currently selectedobject belongs to “H” zone 772, and therefore the first predefinedcondition is satisfied. When the first width is smaller than the minimumwidth threshold (e.g., 0.5×w) and the first height is smaller than theminimum height threshold (e.g., 0.5×h), the size of the currentlyselected object belongs to “W” zone 750, and therefore the secondpredefined condition is satisfied.

Although FIG. 7C illustrates the conditions when the second height islarger than the second width, it would be obvious for a person havingordinary skill in the art to apply an analogous method when the secondheight is smaller than the second width (e.g., zone 750 becomes an “H”zone and zone 772 becomes a “W” zone when the second height is smallerthan the second width).

In some embodiments, when the currently selected user interface objecthas a constrained height-to-width ratio, the device resizes (722) thecurrently selected user interface object, while maintaining theconstrained height-to-width ratio, so as to satisfy a predefined sizerelationship to a bounding box for the second user interface object(e.g., resize to fit within the bounding box; or resize so that onedimension, but not both dimensions, of the currently selected userinterface object fits within the bounding box). For example, in FIG.5U-5V, digital image object 502-5 has a constrained height-to-widthratio, the device resizes digital image object 502-5 while maintainingthe constrained height-to-width ratio so as to satisfy a predefined sizerelationship to a bounding box for the second user interface object(e.g., resize so that the width of object 502-5 matches the width of thebounding box for object 502-4).

In some embodiments, after resizing the currently selected userinterface object to match one or more dimensions of the second userinterface object, the device, while continuing to detect the firstcontact, detects (712) termination of the second contact. In response todetecting termination of the second contact, the device undoes theresizing of the currently selected user interface object (not shown). Insome embodiments, the size matching of the currently selected object tothe second object is reversed if the second contact lifts off before thefirst contact lifts off, and the currently selected object returns toits size immediately prior to the size matching (e.g., in FIG. 5X,object 502-5 returns to its size immediately prior to the sizematching). In some embodiments, in response to detecting termination ofthe second contact, the device terminates the “size matching” mode, andswitches to the “side/corner resizing” mode (e.g., in FIG. 5X, thedevice switches to the “side/corner resizing” mode).

Note that details of the processes described above with respect tomethod 700 are also applicable in an analogous manner to the methodsdescribed below, including methods 800 and 900. For brevity, thesedetails are not repeated below.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating method 800 of performing guidedsize matching in accordance with some embodiments. Method 800 isperformed at a multifunction device (e.g., device 300, FIG. 3, orportable multifunction device 100, FIG. 1) with a display and atouch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, the display is a touchscreen display and the touch-sensitive surface is on the display. Insome embodiments, the display is separate from the touch-sensitivesurface. Some operations in method 800 may be combined and/or the orderof some operations may be changed.

As described below, method 800 provides an intuitive way to performguided size matching. The method reduces the cognitive burden on a userwhen matching one or more dimensions of a first object to a secondobject, thereby creating a more efficient human-machine interface. Forbattery-operated computing devices, enabling a user to perform guidedsize matching faster and more efficiently conserves power and increasesthe time between battery charges.

The device simultaneously display (802) on the touch-sensitive display:a plurality of user interface objects (e.g., objects 502-6, 502-7, and502-8 in FIG. 5Z), wherein at least some of the user interface objectsare configured to be resizable; a currently selected user interfaceobject in the plurality of user interface objects (e.g., objects 502-7);and a plurality of resizing handles for the currently selected userinterface object (e.g., handles around object 502-7, including handle506-18).

The device detects (804) a first contact (e.g., contact 529 in FIG. 5AA)on a first resizing handle (e.g., handle 506-18) in the plurality ofresizing handles.

While detecting the first contact (806), the device detects (808) asecond contact on a second user interface object, distinct from thecurrently selected user interface object, in the plurality of userinterface objects (e.g., in FIG. 5BB, contact 531 is detected on seconduser interface object 502-6, which is distinct from selected userinterface object 502-7).

Also while detecting the first contact (806), the device detects (810)movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive display (e.g.,movement of contact 529 in FIGS. 5BB-5EE).

While detecting the first contact (806), the device displays (812) oneor more indicia for the currently selected user interface object thatshow when a height and/or width of the currently selected user interfaceobject matches a height and/or width of the second user interfaceobject. For example, in FIG. 5DD, object 502-7 and callouts 508-7 and508-8 are visually distinguished to indicate that the width of object502-7 matches the width of object 502-6). Similarly, in FIG. 5EE, object502-7 and callouts 508-7 and 508-8 are visually distinguished toindicate that the width and height of object 502-7 respectively matchesthe width and height of object 502-6).

While detecting the first contact (806), the device resizes (814) thecurrently selected user interface object (e.g., object 502-7) inaccordance with the movement of the first contact (e.g., contact 529)across the touch-sensitive display (e.g., see FIGS. 5BB-SEE).

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating method 900 of performingside/corner resizing, center-resizing, or size matching in accordancewith some embodiments. Method 900 is performed at a multifunction device(e.g., device 300, FIG. 3, or portable multifunction device 100, FIG. 1)with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, thedisplay is a touch screen display and the touch-sensitive surface is onthe display. In some embodiments, the display is separate from thetouch-sensitive surface. Some operations in method 900 may be combinedand/or the order of some operations may be changed.

As described below, method 900 provides an intuitive way to performside/corner resizing, center-resizing, or size matching without using akeyboard. The method reduces the cognitive burden on a user whenperforming side/corner resizing, center-resizing, or size matching,thereby creating a more efficient human-machine interface. Forbattery-operated computing devices, enabling a user to performside/corner resizing, center-resizing, or size matching faster and moreefficiently conserves power and increases the time between batterycharges.

The device simultaneously displays (902) on the touch-sensitive display:a plurality of user interface objects, wherein at least some of the userinterface objects are configured to be resizable; a currently selecteduser interface object in the plurality of user interface objects, thecurrently selected user interface object having a center; and aplurality of resizing handles for the currently selected user interfaceobject (e.g., a plurality of objects 502-1 and 502-9, currently selectedobject 502-1, and handles 506 in FIG. 5B; a plurality of objects 502-2and 502-3, currently selected object 502-3, and handles around object502-3 including handle 506-9 in FIG. 5O; or a plurality of objects502-6, 502-7, and 502-8, currently selected object 502-7, and handlesaround object 502-7 including handle 506-18 in FIG. 5Z).

The device detects (904) a first contact on a first resizing handle inthe plurality of resizing handles (e.g., contact 507 in FIG. 5C; contact517 in FIG. 5O; or contact 529 in FIG. 5AA).

When a second contact is not detected on the touch-sensitive displaywhile detecting movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay, the device resizes (906) the currently selected user interfaceobject (e.g., object 502-1) by moving the first resizing handle (e.g.,handle 506-5) in accordance with the movement of the first contact(e.g., contact 507). For example, see the “side/corner resizing” mode asdepicted in FIGS. 5C-5D.

When the second contact is detected on the touch-sensitive display(908), and when the second contact is detected on a second userinterface object, distinct from the currently selected user interfaceobject, in the plurality of user interface objects, the device resizes(910) the currently selected user interface object to match one or moredimensions of the second user interface object. For example, in FIG. 5Q,contact 519 is detected at a location on touch screen 112 correspondingto object 502-2, which is distinct from currently selected userinterface object (e.g., object 502-3). In response, the device resizescurrently selected user interface object (e.g., object 502-3) to matchone or more dimensions of the second user interface object (e.g., object502-2).

When the second contact is detected on the touch-sensitive display(908), and when the second contact is not detected on another userinterface object, distinct from the currently selected user interfaceobject, in the plurality of user interface objects, while detectingmovement of the first contact, the device resizes (912) the currentlyselected user interface object about the center of the currentlyselected user interface object. For example, in FIG. 5E, contact 509 isdetected at a location on touch screen 112 corresponding to object502-1, and the location of contact 509 does not correspond to anotheruser interface object (e.g., object 502-9) distinct from the currentlyselected user interface object (e.g., object 502-1). In response, whiledetecting movement of the first contact (e.g., contact 507), the deviceresizes the currently selected user interface object (e.g., object502-1) about the center of the currently selected user interface object(e.g., object 502-1) (i.e., “center-resizing).

The operations in the information processing methods described above maybe implemented by running one or more functional modules in informationprocessing apparatus such as general purpose processors or applicationspecific chips. These modules, combinations of these modules, and/ortheir combination with general hardware (e.g., as described above withrespect to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3) are all included within the scope ofprotection of the invention.

The operations described above with reference to FIGS. 6, 7A-7B, 8, and9 may be implemented by components depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C. For example,detection operations 604 and 606, resizing operations 610 and 612, andindicia displaying operation 614 may be implemented by event sorter 170,event recognizer 180, and event handler 190. Event monitor 171 in eventsorter 170 detects a contact on touch-sensitive display 112, and eventdispatcher module 174 delivers the event information to application136-1. A respective event recognizer 180 of application 136-1 comparesthe event information to respective event definitions 186, anddetermines whether a first contact at a first location on thetouch-sensitive surface corresponds to a predefined event or sub-event,such as selection of an object on a user interface. When a respectivepredefined event or sub-event is detected, event recognizer 180activates an event handler 180 associated with the detection of theevent or sub-event. Event handler 180 may utilize or call data updater176 or object updater 177 to update the application internal state 192.In some embodiments, event handler 180 accesses a respective GUI updater178 to update what is displayed by the application. Similarly, it wouldbe clear to a person having ordinary skill in the art how otherprocesses can be implemented based on the components depicted in FIGS.1A-1C.

The foregoing description, for purpose of explanation, has beendescribed with reference to specific embodiments. However, theillustrative discussions above are not intended to be exhaustive or tolimit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modificationsand variations are possible in view of the above teachings. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, to therebyenable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention andvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computing device, comprising: a touch-sensitivedisplay; one or more processors; memory; and one or more programs,wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configuredto be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programsincluding instructions for: simultaneously displaying on thetouch-sensitive display: a plurality of user interface objects, whereinat least some of the user interface objects are configured to beresizable; a currently selected user interface object in the pluralityof user interface objects; and a plurality of resizing handles for thecurrently selected user interface object; detecting a first contact on afirst resizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles; whiledetecting the first contact on the first resizing handle, detecting asecond contact on a second user interface object, distinct from thecurrently selected user interface object, in the plurality of userinterface objects; and, in response to detecting the second contact onthe second user interface object while detecting the first contact onthe first resizing handle, resizing the currently selected userinterface object to match one or more dimensions of the second userinterface object.
 2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein theinstructions for resizing the currently selected user interface objectto match one or more dimensions of the second user interface objectinclude instructions for matching a height of the currently selecteduser interface object to a height of the second user interface object.3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions forresizing the currently selected user interface object to match one ormore dimensions of the second user interface object include instructionsfor matching a width of the currently selected user interface object toa width of the second user interface object.
 4. The computing device ofclaim 1, wherein the instructions for resizing the currently selecteduser interface object to match one or more dimensions of the second userinterface object include instructions for matching a height of thecurrently selected user interface object to a height of the second userinterface object and matching a width of the currently selected userinterface object to a width of the second user interface object.
 5. Thecomputing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions for resizing thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object include instructions for, when thecurrently selected user interface object has a constrainedheight-to-width ratio: matching a height of the currently selected userinterface object to a height of the second user interface object when afirst predefined condition is satisfied; and matching a width of thecurrently selected user interface object to a width of the second userinterface object when a second predefined condition is satisfied.
 6. Thecomputing device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs includeinstructions for: when the currently selected user interface object hasa constrained height-to-width ratio, resizing the currently selecteduser interface object, while maintaining the constrained height-to-widthratio, so as to satisfy a predefined size relationship to a bounding boxfor the second user interface object.
 7. The computing device of claim1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for displayinga size-matching indicia while the second contact is detected on thetouch-sensitive display.
 8. The computing device of claim 1, wherein theone or more programs include instructions for: after resizing thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object: while continuing to detect thefirst contact, detecting termination of the second contact; and inresponse to detecting termination of the second contact, undoing theresizing of the currently selected user interface object.
 9. A method,comprising: at a computing device with a touch-sensitive display:simultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display: a plurality ofuser interface objects, wherein at least some of the user interfaceobjects are configured to be resizable; a currently selected userinterface object in the plurality of user interface objects; and aplurality of resizing handles for the currently selected user interfaceobject; detecting a first contact on a first resizing handle in theplurality of resizing handles; while detecting the first contact on thefirst resizing handle, detecting a second contact on a second userinterface object, distinct from the currently selected user interfaceobject, in the plurality of user interface objects; and, in response todetecting the second contact on the second user interface object whiledetecting the first contact on the first resizing handle, resizing thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object.
 10. The method of claim 9, whereinresizing the currently selected user interface object to match one ormore dimensions of the second user interface object comprises matching aheight of the currently selected user interface object to a height ofthe second user interface object.
 11. The method of claim 9, whereinresizing the currently selected user interface object to match one ormore dimensions of the second user interface object comprises matching awidth of the currently selected user interface object to a width of thesecond user interface object.
 12. The method of claim 9, whereinresizing the currently selected user interface object to match one ormore dimensions of the second user interface object comprises matching aheight of the currently selected user interface object to a height ofthe second user interface object and matching a width of the currentlyselected user interface object to a width of the second user interfaceobject.
 13. The method of claim 9, wherein resizing the currentlyselected user interface object to match one or more dimensions of thesecond user interface object comprises, when the currently selected userinterface object has a constrained height-to-width ratio: matching aheight of the currently selected user interface object to a height ofthe second user interface object when a first predefined condition issatisfied; and matching a width of the currently selected user interfaceobject to a width of the second user interface object when a secondpredefined condition is satisfied.
 14. The method of claim 9, including:when the currently selected user interface object has a constrainedheight-to-width ratio, resizing the currently selected user interfaceobject, while maintaining the constrained height-to-width ratio, so asto satisfy a predefined size relationship to a bounding box for thesecond user interface object.
 15. The method of claim 9, including:displaying a size-matching indicia while the second contact is detectedon the touch-sensitive display.
 16. The method of claim 9, including:after resizing the currently selected user interface object to match oneor more dimensions of the second user interface object: while continuingto detect the first contact, detecting termination of the secondcontact; and in response to detecting termination of the second contact,undoing the resizing of the currently selected user interface object.17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one ormore programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, whichwhen executed by a computing device with a touch-sensitive display,cause the device to: simultaneously display on the touch-sensitivedisplay: a plurality of user interface objects, wherein at least some ofthe user interface objects are configured to be resizable; a currentlyselected user interface object in the plurality of user interfaceobjects; and a plurality of resizing handles for the currently selecteduser interface object; detect a first contact on a first resizing handlein the plurality of resizing handles; while detecting the first contacton the first resizing handle, detect a second contact on a second userinterface object, distinct from the currently selected user interfaceobject, in the plurality of user interface objects; and, in response todetecting the second contact on the second user interface object whiledetecting the first contact on the first resizing handle, resize thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object.
 18. The computer readable storagemedium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, which when executed by thecomputing device with the touch-sensitive display, cause the device todisplay a size-matching indicia while the second contact is detected onthe touch-sensitive display.
 19. The computer readable storage medium ofclaim 17, wherein the instructions, which when executed by the computingdevice with the touch-sensitive display, cause the device to resize thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object include instructions to match aheight of the currently selected user interface object to a height ofthe second user interface object.
 20. The computer readable storagemedium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, which when executed by thecomputing device with the touch-sensitive display, cause the device toresize the currently selected user interface object to match one or moredimensions of the second user interface object include instructions tomatch a width of the currently selected user interface object to a widthof the second user interface object.
 21. The computer readable storagemedium of claim 17, wherein the instructions, which when executed by thecomputing device with the touch-sensitive display, cause the device toresize the currently selected user interface object to match one or moredimensions of the second user interface object include instructions tomatch a height of the currently selected user interface object to aheight of the second user interface object and match a width of thecurrently selected user interface object to a width of the second userinterface object.
 22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17,wherein the instructions, which when executed by the computing devicewith the touch-sensitive display, cause the device to resize thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object include instructions to, when thecurrently selected user interface object has a constrainedheight-to-width ratio: match a height of the currently selected userinterface object to a height of the second user interface object when afirst predefined condition is satisfied; and match a width of thecurrently selected user interface object to a width of the second userinterface object when a second predefined condition is satisfied. 23.The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, includinginstructions, which when executed by the computing device with thetouch-sensitive display, cause the device to: when the currentlyselected user interface object has a constrained height-to-width ratio,resize the currently selected user interface object, while maintainingthe constrained height-to-width ratio, so as to satisfy a predefinedsize relationship to a bounding box for the second user interfaceobject.
 24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, includinginstructions, which when executed by the computing device with thetouch-sensitive display, cause the device to: after resizing thecurrently selected user interface object to match one or more dimensionsof the second user interface object: while continuing to detect thefirst contact, detect termination of the second contact; and in responseto detecting termination of the second contact, undo the resizing of thecurrently selected user interface object.
 25. A computing device,comprising: a touch-sensitive display; one or more processors; memory;and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored inthe memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors,the one or more programs including instructions for: simultaneouslydisplaying on the touch-sensitive display: a plurality of user interfaceobjects, wherein at least some of the user interface objects areconfigured to be resizable; a currently selected user interface objectin the plurality of user interface objects, the currently selected userinterface object having a center; a plurality of resizing handles forthe currently selected user interface object; detecting a first contacton a first resizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles; when asecond contact is not detected on the touch-sensitive display whiledetecting movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitivedisplay, resizing the currently selected user interface object by movingthe first resizing handle in accordance with the movement of the firstcontact; and, when the second contact is detected on the touch-sensitivedisplay while detecting the first contact on the first resizing handle:when the second contact is detected on a second user interface object,distinct from the currently selected user interface object, in theplurality of user interface objects, resizing the currently selecteduser interface object to match one or more dimensions of the second userinterface object; and, when the second contact is not detected onanother user interface object, distinct from the currently selected userinterface object, in the plurality of user interface objects, whiledetecting movement of the first contact, resizing the currently selecteduser interface object about the center of the currently selected userinterface object.
 26. A method, comprising: at a computing device with atouch-sensitive display: simultaneously displaying on thetouch-sensitive display: a plurality of user interface objects, whereinat least some of the user interface objects are configured to beresizable; a currently selected user interface object in the pluralityof user interface objects, the currently selected user interface objecthaving a center; a plurality of resizing handles for the currentlyselected user interface object; detecting a first contact on a firstresizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles; when a secondcontact is not detected on the touch-sensitive display while detectingmovement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive display,resizing the currently selected user interface object by moving thefirst resizing handle in accordance with the movement of the firstcontact; and, when the second contact is detected on the touch-sensitivedisplay while detecting the first contact on the first resizing handle:when the second contact is detected on a second user interface object,distinct from the currently selected user interface object, in theplurality of user interface objects, resizing the currently selecteduser interface object to match one or more dimensions of the second userinterface object; and, when the second contact is not detected onanother user interface object, distinct from the currently selected userinterface object, in the plurality of user interface objects, whiledetecting movement of the first contact, resizing the currently selecteduser interface object about the center of the currently selected userinterface object.
 27. A non-transitory computer readable storage mediumstoring one or more programs, the one or more programs comprisinginstructions, which when executed by a computing device with atouch-sensitive display, cause the device to: simultaneously display onthe touch-sensitive display: a plurality of user interface objects,wherein at least some of the user interface objects are configured to beresizable; a currently selected user interface object in the pluralityof user interface objects, the currently selected user interface objecthaving a center; a plurality of resizing handles for the currentlyselected user interface object; detect a first contact on a firstresizing handle in the plurality of resizing handles; when a secondcontact is not detected on the touch-sensitive display while detectingmovement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive display, resizethe currently selected user interface object by moving the firstresizing handle in accordance with the movement of the first contact;and, when the second contact is detected on the touch-sensitive displaywhile detecting the first contact on the first resizing handle: when thesecond contact is detected on a second user interface object, distinctfrom the currently selected user interface object, in the plurality ofuser interface objects, resize the currently selected user interfaceobject to match one or more dimensions of the second user interfaceobject; and, when the second contact is not detected on another userinterface object, distinct from the currently selected user interfaceobject, in the plurality of user interface objects, while detectingmovement of the first contact, resize the currently selected userinterface object about the center of the currently selected userinterface object.